The Sokolov Collection
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) Utagawa Yoshitori-jo (circa 1839-1870) Wanting to Eat Something Good: Giant Butterbur from Akita in Dewa Province (Oishii mono ga tabetai, Ushu Akita fuki), Edo period, 19th century
Lot Closed
May 28, 02:42 PM GMT
Estimate
500 - 800 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Sokolov Collection
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)
Utagawa Yoshitori-jo (circa 1839-1870)
Wanting to Eat Something Good: Giant Butterbur from Akita in Dewa Province (Oishii mono ga tabetai, Ushu Akita fuki)
Edo period, 19th century
woodblock print, from the series Auspicious Desires on Land and Sea (Sankai medetai zue), signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, and Tori-jo ga to inset, censor's seals Kinugasa (Kinugasa Fusajiro) and Murata (Murata Sahei), published by Sanoya Kihei (Kikakudo), 8th month 1852
Vertical oban:
36 x 24.3 cm.
This series of seventy numbered prints features individual portraits of beautiful women (bijin) of various social classes and occupations expressing desires or feelings, coupled with an inset landscape image which refers to a famous local product (meibutsu). In this print, number twenty-four from the series, the woman is seated with hands under her chin as if day-dreaming about “eating something delicious” which in this instance are giant butterbur greens; a famous local specialty of Akita.
A similar impression of the same print is in the collection of The British Museum, museum no. 2008,3037.02119, go to: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2008-3037-02119