JAPANESE PRINTS

A MILLION QUESTIONS

TWO MILLION MYSTERIES

 

Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Port Townsend, Washington

 

UTAGAWA KUNISADA

川国貞

うたがわくにさだ

1786-1865

Actor: Iwai Hanshirō V

岩井半四郎

いわいはんしろう

Role:Masagoji

真砂路

まさごじ

Play: Yakko yakko Edo no hanayari

奴江戸花鎗

やっこやっこえどのはなやり

Publisher: Yamaguchiya Tōbei (Kinkodō)

版元: 山口屋藤兵衛 (錦耕堂)

はんもと: やまぐちやとうべえ(きんこうどう)

Date: 1819, 11th Month, 18th Day

Bunsei 2

文政2年

Size: 15 1/4" x 10 3/8"

Signed:  Kunisada ga

署名: 国貞画

しょめい: くにさだが

 

$420.00

 

There is another copy of this print in the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum at Waseda University. This print has the look of being the top panel of a vertical diptych, but to date we have not found the supposed lower panel. On the other hand, it functions perfectly well as a single oban print. And yet...there is another single Kunisada print of an actor from the same performance holding the bottom of the unfurled letter. However, this does not appear close enough to our eyes to be the lower half of the print featured on this page. In that case the upper panel is a mystery. Nevertheless, both prints do have the same publisher's seals. But they do not line up. I have tried to match them, but it just doesn't work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiwame Seal

&

Publisher's Seal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detail view of the back of this print.

 

 

USE OF THE

CHINESE ARCHITECTURAL

MOTIF

Above is an Eizan print of a courtesan

writing a letter. Notice the floral panels

decorating the background and the

similarity to the print by Kunisada

featured on this page.

 

 

 

 

Direct purchase may be made through check or money order or

by payment through PayPal by clicking on the link below.

 

 

 

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