Utagawa school – Asahina Saburō Yoshihide on the Island of the Little People – Ink drawing on two - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
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€ 11
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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 € 150 - € 250
 | €11 |
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An unsigned Edo-period black-ink drawing on two joined sheets, attributed to the Utagawa school and depicting Asahina Saburō Yoshihide on the Island of the Little People.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
This lot features a black-ink sketch on two joined sheets, mounted on a light acid-free backing washi. It is attributed to the Utagawa school, most likely the circle of Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It is unsigned and has no seals.
The title cartouche at upper right reads 朝夷三郎平朝臣義秀, Asahina Saburō Taira no Ason Yoshihide, with a hiragana reading alongside. Next to it is a Chinese-style praise verse (kanshi), 英聲懐絶域 勇敢鎮窮邊. Roughly: “His heroic fame is cherished in the farthest lands; his courage pacifies the remotest frontier.” On the left sheet there are further lines of cursive hiragana, apparently a short comic poem.
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Details
Medium: ink on paper, two sheets joined at the centre
Dimensions: image size for both prints [20 × 28 cm sheet; 24 × 32 cm mount]
Condition: Fair condition! Please check the images carefully before bidding. The whole composition is well perserved!
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The subject
Asahina Saburō Yoshihide was a warrior of the early Kamakura period. He was the son of Wada Yoshimori, and legend names the female warrior Tomoe Gozen as his mother. His extraordinary strength made him a folk hero. After his father died in the Wada Rebellion of 1213, Asahina disappeared from the historical record. Edo-period storytellers filled that gap with fantastic voyages to strange islands, among them an island of tiny people. The spelling 朝夷 used in the cartouche is the same one found in the title of the novel Asahina shima meguri no ki (朝夷巡島記, “Record of Asahina’s Island Voyages”). That title is also attached to an 1840s kabuki print showing Nakamura Utaemon IV as Asahina Saburō Yoshihide
The island of little people was a favourite comic theme of Kuniyoshi. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston holds his vertical ōban “Asahina Yoshihide Playing with the Little People” (Asahina Yoshihide kobito asobi), dated about 1839 and signed Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi giga, meaning “comic picture by Kuniyoshi”. He had already treated Asahina’s foreign travels in the triptych “Kobayashi Asahina and Strange People from Foreign Lands” of about 1836, published by Maruya Seijirō. The present sheets belong to this tradition of humorous Asahina pictures (giga or kyōga)
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.
This lot features a black-ink sketch on two joined sheets, mounted on a light acid-free backing washi. It is attributed to the Utagawa school, most likely the circle of Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It is unsigned and has no seals.
The title cartouche at upper right reads 朝夷三郎平朝臣義秀, Asahina Saburō Taira no Ason Yoshihide, with a hiragana reading alongside. Next to it is a Chinese-style praise verse (kanshi), 英聲懐絶域 勇敢鎮窮邊. Roughly: “His heroic fame is cherished in the farthest lands; his courage pacifies the remotest frontier.” On the left sheet there are further lines of cursive hiragana, apparently a short comic poem.
_______________________________________________________
Details
Medium: ink on paper, two sheets joined at the centre
Dimensions: image size for both prints [20 × 28 cm sheet; 24 × 32 cm mount]
Condition: Fair condition! Please check the images carefully before bidding. The whole composition is well perserved!
_______________________________________________________
The subject
Asahina Saburō Yoshihide was a warrior of the early Kamakura period. He was the son of Wada Yoshimori, and legend names the female warrior Tomoe Gozen as his mother. His extraordinary strength made him a folk hero. After his father died in the Wada Rebellion of 1213, Asahina disappeared from the historical record. Edo-period storytellers filled that gap with fantastic voyages to strange islands, among them an island of tiny people. The spelling 朝夷 used in the cartouche is the same one found in the title of the novel Asahina shima meguri no ki (朝夷巡島記, “Record of Asahina’s Island Voyages”). That title is also attached to an 1840s kabuki print showing Nakamura Utaemon IV as Asahina Saburō Yoshihide
The island of little people was a favourite comic theme of Kuniyoshi. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston holds his vertical ōban “Asahina Yoshihide Playing with the Little People” (Asahina Yoshihide kobito asobi), dated about 1839 and signed Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi giga, meaning “comic picture by Kuniyoshi”. He had already treated Asahina’s foreign travels in the triptych “Kobayashi Asahina and Strange People from Foreign Lands” of about 1836, published by Maruya Seijirō. The present sheets belong to this tradition of humorous Asahina pictures (giga or kyōga)
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
Utagawa school – Asahina Saburō Yoshihide on the Island of the Little People – Ink drawing on two
Condition
Good condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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