Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865).
Signed: Kōchō(rō) Kunisada ga (香蝶国貞画) in a red double-gourd cartouche.
Publisher: Surugaya Sakujirō [駿河屋作次郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1844 – 1865); Marks 06-005 | 501a.
Single nanushi censor seal: Muramatsu (1843-6). The date is attributed to c. 1844.
Title: Narihira [なり平]. Ariwara no Narihira [在原 業平] (Japanese, 825 – 880) – one of the Six Immortal Poets – The Rokkasen [六歌仙].
Series: A parody of six immortal poets [見立六花撰] (Mitate Rokkasen).
Media: Untrimmed fan print (uchiwa-e), 227 x 293 mm, depicting a beautiful woman with a bow and arrows in her left hand.
Series: Mitate Rokkasen [見立六花撰] – is sometimes interpreted as "A parody of six immortal poets" or "A comparison of six select flowers". [LIB-1212.2017] Robert Schaap. Kunisada: Imaging, drama and beauty. — Leiden: Hotei Publishing, 2016; pl. 28, p. 58. This is another fan print with another immortal poet, Bun'ya no Yasuhide [文屋 康秀] (Japanese, -d. 885?), from the same series, provided in the book:
With special thanks to Horst Graebner for help with the description and date attribution: "The print can be dated to 1844: censor seal is Muramatsu (Muramatsu Genroku); he acted in 7/1844 and 4/1845 (and also later) as censor but Kunisada changed his name to Kunisada early in 1844."
Additional Information
| Collection | Fan print (Uchiwa-e) [団扇絵] , Japanese prints and drawings |
|---|---|
| Type / Purpose | Fan , Woodblock print |
| Country | Japan |
| Period | 19 AD , Edo period [江戸時代] (1603–1868) , Mid-19th century |
| Media/Technique | Ink and color on paper , Woodblock print (nishiki-e) |
| Size | Fan print. Uchiwa-e |
| Subject | Beautiful woman (bijin-ga) , Fan , Fan print , Japanese woodblock prints , Mitate , Parody , Rok'kasen [六歌仙] Six poetry immortals , Uchiwa-e |
| School | Utagawa (歌川) |
| Creation / Publishing year | 1844 |
| Series | "A parody of six poets" or "A comparison of six select flowers" |
| Signature | Artist's seal , Publisher's seal , Single nanushi censor seal |
| Acquisition year | 2016 |
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