Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi

Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window)

Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi's original Japanese woodcut, "Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window)" is printed on mid-nineteenth century mulberry paper and with full margins as published by Sanoya Kihei in 1850. Earth (tsuchi), hails from Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi's famous series, Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements). The series deals with the "Shining Prince Genji" (Hikaru Genji), and his amorous exploits, a subject that relates to the Tales of Genji a novel, composed by the Lady-in waiting, Murasaki Shikibu, and Japan’s most popular illustrated book of the early nineteenth century, the famous updated adaptation, Nise murasaki inaka genji (False Murasaki and a Rural Genji), written by Ryutei Tanehiko. An important feature of this work is the panel of art seen on the right hand margin. This is an early representation of Western art in the Japanese woodcut. Prince Genji is one of the greatest heroes of Japanese legend and folklore.

Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window) from the Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements)

View other original Japanese works of art by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi

Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi (Japan, 1798 - 1861)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes	-
01-		Paulownia Court: Heroic Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji (Kiritsubo:Buyu nazoraye Genji), Takenouchi no Sukune carrying Emperor Ojin by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Hosoban)	c. 1844 - 1847	Published by Ibaya Senzaburo
02.-		Flowers: Snow, Moon and Flowers in Children's Games (Osana asobi sekkwagetsu no uchi) by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Oban)	c. 1840 - 1850	Published by Nunoyoshikichi (Nunokichi)
03.-		Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window) from the Mitate go gyo by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Oban)	c. 1850	Published by Sanoya Kihei (Sano-ya Kihei)	Sold
04.-		Full Length Portrait of Guan Yu (Revered Chinese General) School of Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Pen and Ink Drawing (Hanshita)	c. 1850 - 1860
05.-		Portrait of Zhuge Liang (Famous Chinese Statesman & Military Tactician) School of Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Pen and Ink Drawing (Hanshita)	c. 1850 - 1860
06.-		Making Rare Scrolls in The Otsu-E Manner (Toki ni otsu-e kitai no maremono) by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Diptych)	1848	Published by Minatoya Kohei, Kinsendo
07.-		Portrait of A Warrior by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Oban)	c. 1851 - 1853		Sold
08.-		The Battle of Kurikara-dani - Series: Hokkuku O-Kassen (Two Warriors in Combat) by Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi	Original Woodcut (Oban)	c. 1852	Published by Hayashiya Shogoro	Sold

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Title:	Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window)
Artist:	Kuniyoshi, Ichiyasai (Japan, 1798 - 1861)
Date:	c. 1850
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut
Publisher:	Sano-ya Kihei (Sanoya Kihei)
Source:	Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements)
Note:	"Kuniyoshi was a master of many facets but in the fields of legend and history he reigns supreme. His is the work that forms the yardstick against which all others are judged." *
	Mid nineteenth century Ukiyo-e art is best represented in its three most illustrious artists. The woodcuts of Hokusai and Hiroshige are permanently linked to the greatest images in Japanese landscape art. Yet the third master artist, Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi, was equally adept at landscape, satire and in his famous legend and warrior prints, of which this is a classic example.
	A student of Toyokuni, Kuniyoshi in his art has always seemed more akin to Western thought and style than any other Golden Age Japanese master. He was, after all, the first to attempt consolidating Western temperament and themes into his art, usually with remarkable success.
	Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi's finest art was created from the 1830's and into the later years of the 1850's. After that date continuing ill health left its mark. His most famous works draw from legend and history which gave him the imaginative vehicle to portray a vast spectrum of human emotions. His influence on the course of the Japanese woodcut was enormous and was directly passed on in the Meiji era to his best student, Yoshitoshi.
	This original Kuniyoshi woodcut, "Earth (tsuchi)" depicts Prince Genji looking at the garden through his window. An important feature of this work is the panel of art seen on the right hand margin. This is an early representation of Western art in the Japanese woodcut. Prince Genji is one of the greatest heroes of Japanese legend and folklore. "Earth (tsuchi)" was published by Sanoya Kihei (Sano-ya Kihei), in 1850 for Kuniyoshi's famous series, Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements). The series deals with the "Shining Prince Genji" (Hikaru Genji), and his amorous exploits, a subject that relates to the Tales of Genji a novel, composed by the Lady-in waiting, Murasaki Shikibu, and the famous updated adaptation, Nise murasaki inaka genji (False Murasaki and a Rural Genji), written by Ryutei Tanehiko.
	The novel, Nise murasaki inaka genji (False Murasaki and a Rural Genji), written by Ryutei Tanehiko (1783-1842), became Japan’s most popular illustrated book of the early nineteenth century. The Nise murasaki inaka genji (False Murasaki and a Rural Genji) was an updated adaptation of the 11th century classic tale of Prince Genji, liberally borrowing scenes from contemporary novels and the kabuki theatre. To say that the novel was popular might be an understatement. Between 1829 and 1842 Ryutei Tanehiko published thirty-eight chapters or installments of Genji, each illustrated by Kunisada and his pupils. And, after the last chapter was published, the craze for scenes from Genji continued well into the century with the creation of further books by different authors and many more woodcuts on the Genji theme by not only Kunisada, but by such other great masters as Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, Kunisada II, and other important Japanese artists. Such is the case with this original Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi woodcut, Earth: Tsuchi (Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window) from his famous series, Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements) which deals with Prince Genji's amorous exploits. Ryutei Tanehiko's, Nise murasaki inaka genji follows the exploits of the handsome warrior, Ashikaga Mitsuuji (second son of the 8th Ashikaga Shogun, Yoshimasa), a character based upon the "Shining Prince Genji" (Hikaru Genji, son of the emperor by a favored lady). Unlike the eleventh century setting portraying Japanese court culture of the Heian period (794 - 1185), described in the Tale of Genji, a novel, composed by the Lady-in waiting, Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 - c. 1014 / 1025), Tanehiko's, Nise murasaki inaka genji takes place during the fifteenth century Ashikaga Shogunate, a feudal samurai government ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga family (1336-1573). Unfortunately, although the setting was based in the Ashikaga Shogunate, it was believed the Inaka Genji reflected much of the current Shogun, Tokugawa Ienari, and his court. Consequently, in 1842, during the Tenpo Reforms, the woodblocks for the Inaka Genji were confiscated and Tanehiko was told to seize publication. Soon after (1842), Ryutei Tanehiko died, leaving the last two chapters of his book unpublished.
Reference:	* Richard Illing, The Art of Japanese Prints, Gallery Books, New York, 1983, pp. 120-122.
Size:	Oban (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Ichiyasai Kuniyoshi's Earth Tsuchi Prince Genji Looking at The Garden Through His Window has been printed on mid-nineteenth century mulberry (rice) paper and with full margins as published by Sanoya Kihei in 1850 for Kuniyoshi's famous series, Mitate go gyo (The Selected Five Elements). Note: An important feature of this work is the panel of art seen on the right hand margin. This is an early representation of Western art in the Japanese woodcut. Prince Genji is on of the greatest heroes of Japanese legend and folklore. One very faint stain exists in the centre of the image, else a finely printed impression.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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