UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
3 More
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
6 More
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)

Sanuki no in kenzoku o shite Tametomo o sukuu zu (Picture of Retired Emperor Sanuki sending allies [tengu] to rescue Tametomo)

Details
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
Sanuki no in kenzoku o shite Tametomo o sukuu zu (Picture of Retired Emperor Sanuki sending allies [tengu] to rescue Tametomo)
Woodblock print triptych, each signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, published by Sumiyoshiya Masagoro, circa 1851-52
Vertical oban triptych: 14 ½ x 9 7⁄8 in. (36.8 x 25.1 cm.) each approx.(3)
Provenance
Aquired from Joan B Mirviss, 2014
Private Collection
Acquired by the present owner from the above

Brought to you by

Takaaki Murakami (村上高明)
Takaaki Murakami (村上高明) Vice President, Specialist and Head of Department | Korean Art

Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

Sign in
View condition report

Lot Essay

The warrior Minamoto (Genji) no Tametomo (1139-70) was defeated in the Hogen rebellion (1156) fought between the factions of the retired Emperor Sutoku and Emperor Go-Shirakawa. As a result he was exiled to Izu, Oshima, but then escaped to Kyushu and formulated a plan to vanquish the Taira (Heike) clan. As part of this plan he set sail to Kyoto, but during the journey encountered a storm and was shipwrecked. He was then rescued by the retired Emperor Sutoku's descendants and makes it ashore on the Ryukyu Islands.
In this work, Kuniyoshi has ingeniously combined three episodes from the same story onto one triptych. On the left sheet is Tametomo adrift in his boat surrounded by descendants of retired Emperor Sutoku who appear as tengu (mythical creatures in the form of half bird, half man), who have come to rescue him. The center sheet shows Kiheiji, Tametomo's retainer, with Tametomo's son in his arms, on the back of a giant crocodile-shark. At first the creature tried to kill them, but was pacified and rescued them from drowning. On the right sheet, Tametomo's wife, Princess Shiranui, in an unsuccessful attempt to calm the storm has thrown herself into the waves as a sacrifice.

More from Japanese and Korean Art

View All
View All