Yanagishima Myōken · 48 FAMOUS VIEWS OF EDO · HIROSHIGE II - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
03
days
09
hours
14
minutes
21
seconds
Current bid
€ 40
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Giovanni Bottero
Holds a master’s in Japanese art history with over 10 years’ expertise in Asian art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
 | €40 | |
|---|---|---|
| €3 | |
| €2 | |
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 143634 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Original Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige II from the Edo Meisho Shijūhakkei series, Yanagishima Myōken, a chūban-tate-e format (25 × 17 cm) dated 1860–1861, in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige II 二代歌川広重 (1826–1869)
Title: Yanagishima Myōken 柳しま妙見 (No. 23)
Series: Edo meisho shijūhakkei 江戸名所四十八景 — Forty-eight Famous Views of Edo
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizō 蔦屋吉蔵 (Tsutakichi seal, right margin)
Date: 1860–1861 (Man'en 1 / Bunkyū 1)
Format: Chūban tate-e, 25 × 17 cm
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and colour on paper
Signature: Hiroshige ga 廣重画, in a blue tanzaku cartouche at lower right
__________________________________________________________________
CONDITION
Strong impression and colors are well perserved with minor toning and some soiling, minor trimming on the margins. The paper is firm and subtle. Please check the images!
__________________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE PRINT
The "Myōken" of the title is the Myōken hall of Hosshōji temple (Yanagishima Myōken Hosshōji 柳嶋妙見山法性寺) in Yanagishima, written 柳しま in the title cartouche. Yanagishima lay on the eastern edge of the city, beyond the Sumida River, where canals ran out into open rice fields. The temple belongs to the Nichiren sect and is dedicated to Myōken Bosatsu, the Buddhist deity of the Pole Star and the Big Dipper, who was worshipped for protection and good fortune. Many Edo townspeople made the trip out to it, among them actors, writers and artists. The best known of them was Katsushika Hokusai, a lifelong devotee of Myōken; his own name, Hokusai, "North Studio", is generally linked to the Pole Star.
mak
The Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna (MAK), which holds an impression of this sheet, points out that the paper kites flying over the scene recall Hokusai. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria describes the design as three kites in the sky above a river with a boat, a bridge, houses and people walking. The first Hiroshige had also included Yanagishima in his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, and Hiroshige II revisited the temple again in 1862 in his Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital.
__________________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE SERIES
Edo Meisho Shijūhakkei is a complete set of forty-eight chūban sheets, each pairing one of Edo's famous places with the seasonal feature it was known for; the publisher's seal and the censor's seal alternate from sheet to sheet, and two printing dates are documented — the twelfth month of Man'en 1 (1860) and the first month of Bunkyū 1 (1861). The publisher was Kōeidō, Tsutaya Kichizō.
Hiroshige II — born Suzuki Chinpei, pupil and adopted son-in-law of the first Hiroshige — inherited the name in 1858 and, with it, the obligation to keep the studio's famous-places line running. This set belongs to the very last years of Edo: within seven years of its publication the city had a new name and a new government, and the pleasure districts it records were about to change beyond recognition. The chūban format made them affordable souvenirs at the time, which is precisely why they now read as an unusually candid record of where townspeople actually went.
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 Hiroshige II 二代歌川広重 (1826–1869)
Title: Yanagishima Myōken 柳しま妙見 (No. 23)
Series: Edo meisho shijūhakkei 江戸名所四十八景 — Forty-eight Famous Views of Edo
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizō 蔦屋吉蔵 (Tsutakichi seal, right margin)
Date: 1860–1861 (Man'en 1 / Bunkyū 1)
Format: Chūban tate-e, 25 × 17 cm
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and colour on paper
Signature: Hiroshige ga 廣重画, in a blue tanzaku cartouche at lower right
__________________________________________________________________
CONDITION
Strong impression and colors are well perserved with minor toning and some soiling, minor trimming on the margins. The paper is firm and subtle. Please check the images!
__________________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE PRINT
The "Myōken" of the title is the Myōken hall of Hosshōji temple (Yanagishima Myōken Hosshōji 柳嶋妙見山法性寺) in Yanagishima, written 柳しま in the title cartouche. Yanagishima lay on the eastern edge of the city, beyond the Sumida River, where canals ran out into open rice fields. The temple belongs to the Nichiren sect and is dedicated to Myōken Bosatsu, the Buddhist deity of the Pole Star and the Big Dipper, who was worshipped for protection and good fortune. Many Edo townspeople made the trip out to it, among them actors, writers and artists. The best known of them was Katsushika Hokusai, a lifelong devotee of Myōken; his own name, Hokusai, "North Studio", is generally linked to the Pole Star.
mak
The Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna (MAK), which holds an impression of this sheet, points out that the paper kites flying over the scene recall Hokusai. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria describes the design as three kites in the sky above a river with a boat, a bridge, houses and people walking. The first Hiroshige had also included Yanagishima in his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, and Hiroshige II revisited the temple again in 1862 in his Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital.
__________________________________________________________________
ABOUT THE SERIES
Edo Meisho Shijūhakkei is a complete set of forty-eight chūban sheets, each pairing one of Edo's famous places with the seasonal feature it was known for; the publisher's seal and the censor's seal alternate from sheet to sheet, and two printing dates are documented — the twelfth month of Man'en 1 (1860) and the first month of Bunkyū 1 (1861). The publisher was Kōeidō, Tsutaya Kichizō.
Hiroshige II — born Suzuki Chinpei, pupil and adopted son-in-law of the first Hiroshige — inherited the name in 1858 and, with it, the obligation to keep the studio's famous-places line running. This set belongs to the very last years of Edo: within seven years of its publication the city had a new name and a new government, and the pleasure districts it records were about to change beyond recognition. The chūban format made them affordable souvenirs at the time, which is precisely why they now read as an unusually candid record of where townspeople actually went.
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
Title of artwork
Yanagishima Myōken · 48 FAMOUS VIEWS OF EDO · HIROSHIGE II
Condition
Good condition
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
