Isoda Koryūsai. Evening Snow on Mount Hira, from the series ‘Eight Views of Ōmi in Modern Guise’ / Chūban, c. 1774.
Artist: Isoda Koryūsai [礒田湖龍斎] (Japanese, 1735–1790)
Signed: 湖竜画 (Koryū ga)
Publisher: Unknown
Date: c. 1774 (An’ei 3)
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); Vertical chūban, 259 × 189 mm
Catalogue Raisonné: Hockley 2003, p. 202, #F-21-1 [LIB-3444.2025]
Series Title: 畧近江景 (Ryaku Ōmi kei) — Eight Views of Ōmi in Modern Guise
Print Title: 比良暮雪 (Hira bosetsu) — Evening Snow at Mount Hira
A woman stands at the edge of the zashiki (座敷, tatami room), facing toward a boy. She wears a long-sleeved kimono with a repeating shippo (七宝, seven treasures) pattern, and her obi, tied at the front like a hand muff, bears a triple-diamond crest. Her right hand is tucked into the obi for warmth, while she adjusts a hairpin with her left hand.
In front of her stands a young boy wearing a pink robe patterned with circular motifs resembling okiagari koboshi (起き上がり小法師) toys. He holds a tray bearing a small snow sculpture shaped like an owl, representing Daruma. Outside the room, a snow-covered stone lantern and pine tree mark the winter garden beyond.
Poem (inscribed):
| 鳥はるく | Tori haruku | The birds are leaving, |
| 比良の高根の | Hira no takane no | from the high peaks of Hira— |
| 夕くれは | Yūgure wa | in the twilight, |
| くきのさかりに | Kuki no sakari ni | at the height of Kuki, |
| かたくるるなみ | Katakururu nami | the waves grow heavy and still. |
Form: Waka (5–7–5–7–7)
| Collection | |
|---|---|
| Type / Purpose | |
| Period | 18 AD, An'ei era [安永] (1772 – 1781), Edo Period (1603 – 1868), Mid-18th century |
| Country | |
| Media | Colour, Ink, Paper, Woodblock print, Woodblock print (nishiki-e) |
| Technique | |
| Size | |
| Subject | 18th century, Beautiful woman (bijin-ga), Boy, Daruma, Eight views of Omi (Omi hakkei), Hira Mountains, Japan, Japanese art, Japanese Poetry, Japanese woodblock prints, Poetry, Snow, Woman |
| Artist | |
| Publisher | |
| Acquisition year | |
| Catalogue raisonne | |
| Acquisition date |
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