Fine Japanese Prints

Fine Japanese Prints

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 120. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) | The Former Emperor [Sutoku] from Sanuki Sends His Retainers to Rescue Tametomo (Sanuki no in kenzoku o shite Tametomo o sukuu zu) | Edo period, 19th century.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) | The Former Emperor [Sutoku] from Sanuki Sends His Retainers to Rescue Tametomo (Sanuki no in kenzoku o shite Tametomo o sukuu zu) | Edo period, 19th century

Lot Closed

December 14, 02:59 PM GMT

Estimate

26,000 - 30,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)

The Former Emperor [Sutoku] from Sanuki Sends His Retainers to Rescue Tametomo (Sanuki no in kenzoku o shite Tametomo o sukuu zu)

Edo period, 19th century 


woodblock print, each sheet signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga and with artist's seal Yoshikiri, censor's seals Mera (Mera Ta'ichiro) and Watanabe (Watanabe Gentaro), published by Sumiyoshiya Masagoro (Horaido), circa 1851-52


Vertical oban triptych:

Left sheet: 36.6 x 24.1 cm., 14⅜ x 9½ in. 

Centre sheet: 36.6 x 24.8 cm., 14⅜ x 9¾ in.  

Right sheet: 36.5 x 24.4 cm., 14⅜ x 9⅝ in.

The legendary tales of the archer Minamoto Tametomo (1139-1170) were recounted by the author Takizawa Bakin (1767-1848) in his yomihon [lit. reading book] A Bow of the Full Moon (Chinsetsu yumi hari tsuki), published as a series between 1807-1811. Banished to Izu in Oshima after the retired Emperor Sutoku’s defeat by Emperor Go-Shirakawa in the Hogen Rebellion (1156), Tametomo managed to escape to Kyushu where he began to prepare for counterattack. Sailing forth eastwards to Kyoto, Tametomo was shipwrecked by a storm and saved by the retired Emperor Sutoku’s descendants who are said to have brought him safely ashore to the Ryukyu Islands.


Here, Kuniyoshi illustrates this dramatic moment with the descendants of the retired emperor appearing to Tametomo as tengu rendered in white and light grey. Tametomo’s retainer, Kiheiji, bearing Tametomo’s son in his arms, stands poised atop of the giant sea-creature spanning the entirety of the composition. Princess Shiranui, the wife of Tametomo, is depicted amidst the tempestuous waters, sacrificing herself to appease the raging sea.


For an example of the same print in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 11.26999-7001, go to: 

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/484024


For a further example in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, reference number A-10569_5331, go to: 

https://webarchives.tnm.jp/imgsearch/show/C0057997