Utagawa Kunisada I

Sangi Hitoshi (Ogura Hyakunin Isshu - A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets)

This original woodcut by Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III), "Sangi Hitoshi" is printed upon mid 19th century mulberry paper and is signed Ichiyusai Toyokuni ga within the image as published by Sanoya Kihei in 1845. It hails from one of Kunisada's greatest series, the "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu" (A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets). This classic anthology of 100 hundred poems by 100 different poets had an immense influence upon Japanese literary culture from its creation to quite recent times. It was compiled by the poet, Fujiwara no Sadaie in the thirteenth century and contained court poetry composed from as far back as the seventh century. Each poem was composed in the traditional 'waka' style which was five lines of 31 syllables. This original Kunisada woodcut is the thirty-ninth poem from the anthology written by Sangi Hitoshi (Minamoto no Hitoshi). It represents both a beautiful and an important example of the famous woodcut art of Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III).

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Title:	Sangi Hitoshi (poem No. 39)
Artist:	Utagawa Kunisada I 'Toyokuni III' (Japan, 1786 - 1864)
Date:	1845
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut
Publisher:	Sanoya Kihei (Kikakudo)
Signed:	Ichiyusai Toyokuni ga
Series:	Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets)
Note:	Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III): Perhaps the best known printmaking artist of his day, Kunisada apprenticed under Toyokuni. Kunisada's earliest woodcuts date from 1809 and he quickly established himself as a master of figure and character studies. Because of his chronological changes of signatures, Kunisada's woodcuts are not difficult to date: his first works were signed, 'Ichiyusai Kunisada', and bear the definite influence of his master. About 1813, he began inscribing his woodcuts, 'Gototei Kunisada', and from 1827, he adopted the 'go' or 'ga' suffix. Finally, in 1844, he took his deceased master's name -- a not uncommon practice in Japanese art -- and signed his works, 'Toyokuni'. Sangi Hitoshi is signed 'Ichiyusai Toyokuni ga' and is among the first works of art in which Kunisada used this title.
	When the Western world first discovered the artistic value of the Japanese woodcut (c. 1865) it was the designs of Kunisada which primarily attracted the greatest attention. His superb use of line, perspective and colour influenced an entire legion of European artists. Toulouse-Lautrec, Whistler, Van Gogh, Vuillard, Bonnard and many others all owed a considerable deal to the splendid creations of this Japanese master of the woodcut.
	"Sangi Hitoshi" hails from one of Kunisada's greatest series of woodcuts, the "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu" (A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets). This classic anthology of 100 poems by 100 different poets had an immense influence upon Japanese literary culture from its creation to quite recent times. It was compiled by the poet, Fujiwara no Sadaie in the thirteenth century and contained court poetry composed from as far back as the seventh century. Each poem was composed in the traditional 'waka' style which was five lines of 31 syllables. Kunisada illustrated each of the famous 100 poems with a corresponding woodcut during the years of 1844 and 1845. As these delicate poems are quite complex and abstract Kunisada chose not to literally illustrate them but to provide scenes of comparable emotional and intellectual content within the traditional bijin (beautiful women) genre. Most of the woodcuts from this great set stand as among Kunisada's greatest contributions to this genre. In the upper corner of each woodcut he also depicted an open book with the complete poem and a portrait of the poet. Sangi Hitoshi Ogura Hyakunin Isshu - A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets is the thirty-ninth poem from the anthology written by Sangi Hitoshi (Minamoto no Hitoshi). The poem appears below in both Japanese and in an English translation. Sangi Hitoshi: Poem No 39 Series Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Asajiu no _________ Bamboo growing Ono no shinohara _________ Among the tangled reeds Shinoburedo _________ Like my hidden love: Amarite nado ka _________ But it is too much to bear Hito no koishiki _________ That I still love her so.
Size:	13 1/2 X 9 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials
	View larger Framed Image

Buy Now	Price: $950.00 US
Condition:	Printed upon mid nineteenth century mulberry (rice paper) and with full margins as published by Sanoya Kihei in 1845. Signed Ichiyusai Toyokuni ga within the image. Containing one silk worm hole to the upper left which has been well restored by a former owner using a comparable rice paper. Else a magnificent early impression with brilliant colouration. Sangi Hitoshi Ogura Hyakunin Isshu - A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets represents both a beautiful and an important example of the famous woodcut art of Kunisada.
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Utagawa Kunisada I 'Toyokuni III' (Japan, 1786 - 1864)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes	-
01.-		A Beautiful Woman from the Tale of Genji (Nise murasaki inaka genji) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1831	Publisher: Senkakudo
02.-		A Beautiful Woman in an Interior by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	c. 1849 - 1853	'Toyokuni' Signature, Publisher: Kichizo	Sold
03.-		Hana (Flowers) Kacho fugetsu no uchi (Series: Flowers, Birds, Wind & Moon) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1847 - 1851	Signed: Kochoro Toyokuni ga, Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikichi	Sold
04.-		A Nobleman in a Boat by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	c. 1820 - 1827	'Gototei Kunisada' Signature	Sold
05.-		A Pilgrimage to Mount Fuji by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	c. 1849 - 1853	'Toyokuni' Signature, Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizo	Sold
06.-		A Seated Nobleman from the Tale of Genji (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1839	Publisher: Senkakudo	Sold
07.-		Actors Arashi Hinasuke I as Oboshi Yuranosuke and Ichikawa Monnosuke III as Oboshi Rikiya Seated in Front of the Prayer Table	Original Woodcut	1847-1852	Signed: Ichiyosai Toyokuni ga, Publisher: Miyakozawa
08.-		Actors Ichimura Uzaemon XIII as Kincho's Son (Segare) Kinko, Seki Sanjuro III as Iyam (Playing Hagoita) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1856	Signed: Toyokuni ga, Publisher: Omiya Kyujiro
09.-		An Actor in The Role of a Warrior, Kabuki Play (Ichikawa Ebizo V as Shirafuji Genta) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1840	Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga, Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikich	Sold
10.-		An Autumn Stroll in a Garden Landscape by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1854	'Toyokuni' Signature	Sold
11.-		An Old Man and a Young Woman from the Tale of Genji (Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji) by Kunisada	Two Original Woodcuts	Between 1829 & 1842	Publisher: Senkakudo
12.-		Biwa-Hoshi On The Tokaido Road Near Maisaka: Sohitsu gojusan tsugi (The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido by two Brushes) by Kunisada and Hiroshige	Original Woodcut	c. 1854 - 1857	Signed Hiroshige ga & Kunisada ga, Publisher: Maruya Kishuro	Sold
13.-		Narumi: Sohitsu gojusan tsugi (The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido by two Brushes) by Kunisada and Hiroshige	Original Woodcut	c. 1854 - 1857	Hiroshige hitsu & Toyokuni ga (with Censor Seals), Publisher: Maruya Kishuro	Sold
14.-		Genji noryo no kei (Nobleman With a Fan, Banks of the Sumida River, Edo) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1861	Toyokuni' Signature, Publisher: Hiranoya
15.-		Portrait of a Nobleman with a Fan and a Flute by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	c. 1820 - 1827	'Gototei Kunisada' Signature	Sold
16.-		Princess Takiyasha-hime (The Beautiful Sorceress) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1850	'Toyokuni' Signature, Publisher: Sumiyoshiya Masagoro, of Yotsuya	Sold
17.-		Sangi Hitoshi (Ogura Hyakunin Isshu - A Pictoral Comentary on One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	1845	Signed: Ichiyusai Toyokuni ga, Publisher: Sanoya Kihei
18.-		The Legend of The Nine Tailed Fox (Yamato Province: Fox (Kitsune) Tadanobu) by Kunisada I and Kunisada II	Original Woodcut	1845	Signed: Ichiyosai Toyokuni ga (within the main image); Toyokuni monjin Kunimasa ga (on the insert) Publisher: Aamitaya Kiyoyemon	Sold
19.-		Three Figures in a Winter Landscape (Travelers in the Snow) by Kunisada	Original Woodcut	c.1820 - 1827	'Gototei Kunisada' Signature	Sold
20.-		Yotsuya: Actor Bando Hikosaburo V as the Ghost of Oiwa (Flowers of Edo and Views of Famous) by Kunisada and Sadahide	Original Woodcut	1863	Signed: Toyokuni ga, (bottom right); & Tou ga (top); Sadahide ga (Bottom left), Publisher: Katoya Iwazo

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