Fusatane – Genji and the Crane – "Bird" from Genji Kachō Fūgetsu (1867) – left and centre sheets of - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
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Selected by Giovanni Bottero
Holds a master’s in Japanese art history with over 10 years’ expertise in Asian art.
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Two vertical ōban woodblock prints from the Genji Kachō Fūgetsu no Uchi series, 'Bird', by Utagawa Fusatane (active c.1854–1889), dating to Keiō 3 (1867), left and centre sheets; each approx. 24 × 36 cm, in original/official state with provenance from a private collection and a fair impression with minor wear.
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Description from the seller
Artist: Utagawa (Ōsai) Fusatane 歌川房種 (active c. 1854–1889), pupil of Utagawa Sadafusa
Series: Genji Kachō Fūgetsu no Uchi (源氏花鳥風月之内), "Genji: Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon"
Title: Tori (鳥), "Bird", known in the West as "Prince Genji and the Crane"
Format: Two vertical ōban sheets (left and centre) from a triptych; the right sheet is not included. Approx. [24 × 36 cm] each
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), colour on paper
Date: Keiō 3 (1867)
Publisher: Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (辻文), Yokoyama-chō 3-chōme
Signature: Fusatane ga (房種画), on each sheet
________________________________________________________
CONDITION
Fair impression with colors being shifted warm with fair saturation. The paper thin centre fold and minor wear to margins. Minor loss in the centre of each sheet. Please check the images carefully!
________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE PRINT
This is one of the best-known designs by Fusatane, a late-Edo pupil of Sadafusa who worked in landscape, beauty and historical prints. Artelino describes the full triptych as one of the designs collectors value most in his work. The series takes its title from kachō fūgetsu, "flowers, birds, wind and moon", the classic Japanese phrase for the beauties of nature. Each design gives one of the four themes to a scene of "Genji" court life. This sheet is the "Bird" design. In the complete triptych, Prince Genji releases a crane on the seashore. In Japan the crane stands for good fortune and long life.
The "Genji" of late-Edo prints is not Murasaki Shikibu's hero himself. It is the courtly world made popular by Ryūtei Tanehiko's best-selling novel Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji ("A Fake Murasaki and a Rustic Genji"). The novel reset the Tale of Genji in the Muromachi period. Through the 1850s and 1860s it inspired a steady flow of elegant Genji-e prints, and this series is a late example published just before the Meiji Restoration.
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.
Artist: Utagawa (Ōsai) Fusatane 歌川房種 (active c. 1854–1889), pupil of Utagawa Sadafusa
Series: Genji Kachō Fūgetsu no Uchi (源氏花鳥風月之内), "Genji: Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon"
Title: Tori (鳥), "Bird", known in the West as "Prince Genji and the Crane"
Format: Two vertical ōban sheets (left and centre) from a triptych; the right sheet is not included. Approx. [24 × 36 cm] each
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), colour on paper
Date: Keiō 3 (1867)
Publisher: Tsujiokaya Bunsuke (辻文), Yokoyama-chō 3-chōme
Signature: Fusatane ga (房種画), on each sheet
________________________________________________________
CONDITION
Fair impression with colors being shifted warm with fair saturation. The paper thin centre fold and minor wear to margins. Minor loss in the centre of each sheet. Please check the images carefully!
________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE PRINT
This is one of the best-known designs by Fusatane, a late-Edo pupil of Sadafusa who worked in landscape, beauty and historical prints. Artelino describes the full triptych as one of the designs collectors value most in his work. The series takes its title from kachō fūgetsu, "flowers, birds, wind and moon", the classic Japanese phrase for the beauties of nature. Each design gives one of the four themes to a scene of "Genji" court life. This sheet is the "Bird" design. In the complete triptych, Prince Genji releases a crane on the seashore. In Japan the crane stands for good fortune and long life.
The "Genji" of late-Edo prints is not Murasaki Shikibu's hero himself. It is the courtly world made popular by Ryūtei Tanehiko's best-selling novel Nise Murasaki Inaka Genji ("A Fake Murasaki and a Rustic Genji"). The novel reset the Tale of Genji in the Muromachi period. Through the 1850s and 1860s it inspired a steady flow of elegant Genji-e prints, and this series is a late example published just before the Meiji Restoration.
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
Fusatane – Genji and the Crane – "Bird" from Genji Kachō Fūgetsu (1867) – left and centre sheets of
Condition
Fair condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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