KUNIMARO . Bugei Suikoden . The Lady Anabo . 1863 . auth Japanese Woodblock - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
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€ 180
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Selected by Giovanni Bottero
Holds a master’s in Japanese art history with over 10 years’ expertise in Asian art.
Estimate € 200 - € 300
 | €180 | |
|---|---|---|
| €160 | |
| €140 | |
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Original Japanese woodblock print by Kunimaro from the Bugei Suikoden series, The Lady Anabo, 1863, Ōban tate-e, 36 × 24 cm; polychrome Nishiki-e, in fair condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
UTAGAWA KUNIMARO (active c. 1840s–1870s)
Title: 武芸水滸伝 阿ぬ穂局 (Bugei Suikoden – Anabo no Tsubone), The Lady Anabo
Series: Bugei Suikoden (武芸水滸伝), A Water Margin of Martial Arts
Date: Bunkyū 3 (1863), provisional, from the date seal
Signature: Kunimaro ga (國麿画) in a red cartouche
Seals: Date seal, publisher's seal, carver's seal
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 36 × 25 cm
Technique: Woodblock print (mokuhanga), polychrome (nishiki-e)
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Condition
Very good colour and impression with details very well preserved. A minor repair and a minor soiling on the margins are noted otherwise the paper is firm and subtle. Good overall! Please check the images!
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THE PRINT
The text panel on the sheet tells her story. She was born into humble circumstances, but she was brave by nature and devoted to the martial arts. She was also a great beauty. An old tanuki, the shapeshifting raccoon-dog of Japanese folklore, took the form of a handsome young man to seduce her. She saw through the disguise and killed it, and the creature turned out to be an enormous tanuki. Her lord heard of her courage and took her into his household as a consort. Later, when violent turmoil broke out in the household, she took up a naginata, fought off many attackers, and finally died fighting.
The Bugei Suikoden borrows its title from the Suikoden, the Chinese Water Margin, whose 108 outlaw heroes Utagawa Kuniyoshi had made enormously popular in Edo from the late 1820s. The subjects of this series are Japanese, not Chinese. They are masters of the martial arts and remarkable fighters, such as the spear-fighting monk Hōzōin Kakuzenbō In'ei and Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami, founder of the Shinkage school of swordsmanship.
Utagawa Kunimaro was a pupil of Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). He is said to have trained first under Utagawa Sadafusa and worked early on under the name Fusahiro. He was active from the late Tenpō era into the first years of Meiji and also illustrated books and designed sugoroku game sheets. His single-sheet prints are far less often seen than those of his teacher.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
UTAGAWA KUNIMARO (active c. 1840s–1870s)
Title: 武芸水滸伝 阿ぬ穂局 (Bugei Suikoden – Anabo no Tsubone), The Lady Anabo
Series: Bugei Suikoden (武芸水滸伝), A Water Margin of Martial Arts
Date: Bunkyū 3 (1863), provisional, from the date seal
Signature: Kunimaro ga (國麿画) in a red cartouche
Seals: Date seal, publisher's seal, carver's seal
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 36 × 25 cm
Technique: Woodblock print (mokuhanga), polychrome (nishiki-e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Very good colour and impression with details very well preserved. A minor repair and a minor soiling on the margins are noted otherwise the paper is firm and subtle. Good overall! Please check the images!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PRINT
The text panel on the sheet tells her story. She was born into humble circumstances, but she was brave by nature and devoted to the martial arts. She was also a great beauty. An old tanuki, the shapeshifting raccoon-dog of Japanese folklore, took the form of a handsome young man to seduce her. She saw through the disguise and killed it, and the creature turned out to be an enormous tanuki. Her lord heard of her courage and took her into his household as a consort. Later, when violent turmoil broke out in the household, she took up a naginata, fought off many attackers, and finally died fighting.
The Bugei Suikoden borrows its title from the Suikoden, the Chinese Water Margin, whose 108 outlaw heroes Utagawa Kuniyoshi had made enormously popular in Edo from the late 1820s. The subjects of this series are Japanese, not Chinese. They are masters of the martial arts and remarkable fighters, such as the spear-fighting monk Hōzōin Kakuzenbō In'ei and Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami, founder of the Shinkage school of swordsmanship.
Utagawa Kunimaro was a pupil of Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). He is said to have trained first under Utagawa Sadafusa and worked early on under the name Fusahiro. He was active from the late Tenpō era into the first years of Meiji and also illustrated books and designed sugoroku game sheets. His single-sheet prints are far less often seen than those of his teacher.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Details
Dynastic Style/Period
Edo Period (1600-1868)
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Japan
Attribution
Original
Height
36 cm
Width
24 cm
Title of artwork
KUNIMARO . Bugei Suikoden . The Lady Anabo . 1863 . auth Japanese Woodblock
Condition
Fair condition
Authenticity
Original/official
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