![](http://varshavskycollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/compton-I-3-382x400.jpeg)
Compton's Collection, Part I, p. 11, №3.
Compton's Collection, Part I, p. 11, №3.
Caldwell Collection. Sotheby's 1994, №15.
Butterfield & Butterfield, 1979. Sale # 3063, lot № 66.
Picture № 6. (31d in LIB-2971.2022)
Picture № 9.
Picture № 11. (31g in LIB-2971.2022)
Masanobu’s mitate wittily evokes an episode known as “Bodhidharma crossing the Yangzi River on a reed” (Royō Daruma). According to legend, the river crossing occurred en route to the Shaolin monastery, where Bodhidharma sat facing a wall for nine years without speaking. While serious interpretations abound in Chinese and Japanese paintings, popular prints of the Edo period often playfully substituted a beautiful woman for the monk. This parodic version was reportedly invented in response to a courtesan’s comment that she was more enlightened than Bodhidharma because she had spent ten years sitting, on display in a brothel.An interesting article about this particular design is published at UKIYO-E.ORG BLOG. Though, the design is erroneously attributed to Harunobu. We see that Bunchō was quite fascinated by the idea of crossing a water obstacle with the help of an unsuitable means of transportation:
Female Daruma Riding a Mushroom. MFA # 21.4758.
Katsukawa Shun'ei. The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II in an Aragoto Role. LACME.
Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Date no Yosaku Artist Tôshûsai Sharaku (Japanese, active 1794–1795), Publisher Tsutaya Jûzaburô (Kôshodô) (Japanese) 1794 (Kansei 6), 5th month. MFA.
Ippitsusai Bunchô. Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Tsunewakamaru. Play: Iro Moyô Aoyagi Soga Theater: Nakamura. MFA.
Matsumoto Kôshirô V was one of the Kabuki giants, a senryô yakusha, during the Bunka, Bunsei and Tenpô eras. In his 20's he was a tachiyaku actor excelling in nimaime roles like Soga Jûrô Sukenari in sogamono dramas. He started to perform jitsuaku roles from the 11th lunar month of 1798 and quickly became one of the best actors for villain roles, especially in Tsuruya Nanboku IV's kizewamono. He had a considerable influence on actors like Onoe Kikugorô III or Ichikawa Danjûrô VII. The kata he deviced for some of the most famous roles in Kabuki history, like Gonta ("Sushiya") or Nikki Danjô* ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi") are still used nowadays. "The fifth Kôshirô had a very large nose and his eyes were close together, two facial defects the print artists were fond of depicting, so that this Edo actor is easily picked out in the pictures illustrating the theatre of this time." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
"Traditionally the old iron plate tsuba are classified into Ko Tosho (old sword smith), and Ko Katchushi (old armor maker) styles. It is sometimes difficult to justify attribution of a given tsuba to the Tosho or Katchushi category. Generally guards with raised rims or relatively complex designs tend to be assigned to Katchushi. This is basically a convention we follow out of habit and convenience." [...] "In Token Kai-Shi part six, Articles by Akiyama Kyusaku, Robert Haynes comments: "…from 1300 to 1400 over 150,000 MOUNTED swords were made in Japan for export alone. This means that over four tsuba a day were made for 100 years. This would mean that at least 3000 persons were making nothing but tsuba, let alone all the other fittings needed to complete these swords. With sword smiths, fittings makers and all the other artists need to complete a sword for export, at least 10,000 sword artists were working together, in any one of these hundred years."Reference to design can be found at "Japanese Swords and Tsuba from the Professor A. Z. Freeman and the Phyllis Sharpe Memorial collections" / Sotheby's, London, Thursday 10 April 1997; p. 18-19, lot № 37: "A Kamakura-bori Tsuba, Momoyama Period. ...pierced with two large formalised butterflies..."
A Kamakura-bori tsuba of octagonal form, Momoyama period.
TSU-0319. Ōnin ten-zōgan tsuba, Muromachi period.
The Henry D. Rosin Collection №9.
Lundgren Collection №7.
Kokusai Tosogu Kai 5th, 2009, p. 51, № 5-U8: ko-kinko or tachi-kanagushi tsuba.
Kuroki Matsujiro (黒木松次郎) was born in the village of Itsuki in Kuma district, Kumamoto prefecture, island of Kyushu in Bunka era, 4th year (1807). Since from his childhood he was blessed by great physique and tough strength. He had affection for sumo. At the age of 18 he became a sumo student of Kumamoto Shimakawa Ikuhei and took the name of Toyama Hidekichi (遠山日出吉). At the age of 23 (1830), he entered sumo stables in Kyoto, mastered the art of taming of young horses, and his talents improved. At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro of Hirado domain in Hizen province, also from Kyushu island. After that, he changed his name and became Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (黒柳松次郎 – as on the print). In 1847 (Bunka era, 4th year) he distinguished himself by advancing to the first grade, and at the age of 32 he was promoted to ozeki level, becoming sekitori. After changing his name to Kuma-ga-take Inosuke (熊ヶ嶽猪之介 / くまがたけいのすけ) he displayed further efforts, and became one of the strongmen that fermented sumo wrestling in Edo. In 1853 (Kaei era, 6th year) he retired and returned to his village, becoming an employee as a strongman of Sagara domain (相良藩), and worked hard as instructor of the sumo training hall to train successors until 1855 (Ansei era, 2nd year) when he passed away at the age of 48. Even today Kuma-ga-take's home exists in Itsukimura (his native village). Also, on those grounds a descendant of Kuma-ga-take runs minshuku (guest house) that bears the name of "The Kuroki Pension (lodging) ", and tourists come to visit from various parts of Japan. In 2015, tenth month, within the borders of Aoi Aso Shrine there was built a gravestone publicly honoring Kuma-ga-take Inosuke, sumo wrestler from Edo / of Edo period.
Highest Rank | Maegashira 4 |
Real Name | Kuroki |
Birth Date | 1815 |
Shusshin | Kumamoto-ken, Kuma-gun |
Death Date | March 6, 1855 (40 years) |
Heya | Oitekaze |
Shikona | Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kumagatake Isuke |
Hatsu Dohyo | 1836.02 (Sandanme) |
Intai | 1853.02 |
On another important sumo history website, I found that Kuroyanagi first appeared at ring in the spring of 1823 (he might have been 16 years old then, which does not seem right). Then, in the winter tournament of 1848 Kuroyanagi took the name Kumagatake. At the spring tournament of 1853 Kumagatake (Kuroyanagi) retired. This is quite consistent so far.
Then, I found Oitekaze Kitaro, allegedly the teacher of Kuroyanagi.Highest Rank | Ozeki |
Real Name | SATO Matsujiro (Matsutaro#) |
Birth Date | 1799 |
Shusshin | Kanagawa-ken, Tsukui-gun |
Death Date | May 4, 1865 (66 years) |
Heya | Oitekaze |
Shikona | Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kuroyanagi Sumiemon - Oitekaze Kitaro |
Hatsu Dohyo | 1817.10 (Jonokuchi) |
Intai | 1839.03 |
Iron tsuba of oval form carved with a landscape motif. Kogai-hitsu-ana plugged with shakudo. Sekigane of copper.
Signed: Chōshū Hagi-jū Tomohisa saku (長州萩住友久作).
Tomohisa, adopted son of Rokurō'emon, was 3rd generation master of Kawaji School from Hagi in Nagato (Chōshū), lived 1687-1743 [M. Sesko 'Genealogies', page 117].
Edo period, circa 1700. Dimensions: 71.1 x 66.8 x 2.9 mm For his adopted son Hisatsugu work see TSU-0103 in this collection.The Japanese Pillar Print. Hashira-e. Jacob Pins. Foreword by Roger Keyes. Robert G. Sawers Publishing, London, 1982 [LIB-1543.2018 in this collection] -> page 262 №703: A young woman dreaming of rape and robbery. 1783. Hirano.
MFA: ACCESSION NUMBER 21.5546: Young Woman Music Teacher Dreaming of a Robbery [追剥の夢を見る三味線師匠]. Edo period, about 1783 (Tenmei 3). Artist Torii Kiyonaga (1752–1815), Publisher Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudô). Harvard Museums Object Number 1916.586: Female Musician Dreaming of Robbery. Edo period, circa 1783. Torii Kiyonaga, Japanese (1752 - 1815) . Published by Nishimuraya Yohachi.An iron tsuba of oval form decorated with a water plantain (omodaka) carved in low relief and water drops inlaid in gold.
Signed: Bushū jū Masamitsu.
Bushū-Itō school.Height: 71.8; Width: 67.3; Thickness: 3.6; Weight: 96 g.
Mid to late Edo period; 18th-19th century.
There were several tsuba artists with the name of Masamitsu. The one who worked with iron and spelled [正光] is mentioned at Markus Sesko's 'Genealogies' on page 106 in Akasaka School of Edo section as Masamitsu Gorōbei , student of Tadatoki, 4th generation Akasaka master. The name is not mentioned at Torigoye/Haynes 'Tsuba. An Aesthetic Study' in the list of Bushū-Itō family masters on page 181.