Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sanekata · Heian court anecdote of composure · by Inoue Tankei - Japan - Meiji period (1868-1912)
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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 - € 200
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This original Japanese Meiji-period woodblock print by Inoue Tankei depicts Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sanekata and measures 37 × 25 cm.
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Description from the seller
** The Thrown Court Cap · Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sanekata · Heian court anecdote of composure · by Inoue Tankei, Kiyochika’s short-lived pupil **
Artist: Inoue Tankei 井上探景 (Inoue Yasuji, 1864–1889), pupil of Kobayashi Kiyochika
Series: Kyōdō risshi no motoi 教導立志基 (Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition)
Title: Fujiwara no Yukinari and Chūjō Sanekata (No. 4, 四)
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉, Ryōgoku Yoshikawa-chō, Tokyo
Date: 1886 (Meiji 19), date in the publication line below the image
Signature: 井上探景 (Inoue Tankei), with red artist’s seal
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and colour on paper
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 37 × 25 cm
----------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Impression & Colours: A strong, well-preserved impression with good colour saturation throughout.
Paper: Excellent! Please check the images!
-------------------------------------------------------
About the print
The text panel tells one of the best-known anecdotes of the Heian court, recorded in medieval story collections such as the Kojidan and the Jikkinshō. Fujiwara no Sanekata, a captain of the palace guard (chūjō), quarrelled with the young courtier Fujiwara no Yukinari inside the palace. In a fit of temper he knocked off Yukinari’s court cap and threw it into the small courtyard. Yukinari showed no sign of anger. He calmly called a palace servant to retrieve the cap, put it back on, and quietly asked what he had done to deserve such treatment.
Emperor Ichijō had watched the scene unseen. Impressed by Yukinari’s self-control, he appointed him head of the Chamberlains’ Office (kurōdo no tō). Sanekata was sent away to the distant province of Mutsu in the far north, where he died in 998. Tradition gives the emperor’s order as a polite exile: Sanekata was to go and “see the famous poetic places” of the north.
Both men were exceptional figures. Yukinari (972–1027) is remembered as one of the Sanseki, the “Three Brush Traces”, the greatest calligraphers of the Heian period. Sanekata was a celebrated poet whose verse is included in the Hyakunin isshu anthology. For a Meiji audience, the lesson was clear: dignity and restraint win advancement, and temper leads to ruin.
______________________________________________
About the series
Kyōdō risshi no motoi was published by Matsuki Heikichi between October 1885 and November 1890. It presents heroes and heroines from antiquity to the Meiji era as models of moral character and achievement, and was intended for instruction as much as for collecting. The series grew to 58 prints plus a table-of-contents sheet, in which Takayama Hikokurō is listed as no. 45. The print itself is unnumbered, which is normal for the late sheets of the series.
Seven artists contributed. Kobayashi Kiyochika designed the most sheets (20), followed by Mizuno Toshikata with 16, Inoue Tankei with 13 and Toshikata’s teacher Yoshitoshi with 5. Toshikata’s contributions belong to the final years of the series, 1888–1890, when he was in his early twenties and establishing himself as one of the leading figure designers of the Meiji period.
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.
** The Thrown Court Cap · Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sanekata · Heian court anecdote of composure · by Inoue Tankei, Kiyochika’s short-lived pupil **
Artist: Inoue Tankei 井上探景 (Inoue Yasuji, 1864–1889), pupil of Kobayashi Kiyochika
Series: Kyōdō risshi no motoi 教導立志基 (Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition)
Title: Fujiwara no Yukinari and Chūjō Sanekata (No. 4, 四)
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉, Ryōgoku Yoshikawa-chō, Tokyo
Date: 1886 (Meiji 19), date in the publication line below the image
Signature: 井上探景 (Inoue Tankei), with red artist’s seal
Technique: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and colour on paper
Format: Ōban tate-e, approx. 37 × 25 cm
----------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Impression & Colours: A strong, well-preserved impression with good colour saturation throughout.
Paper: Excellent! Please check the images!
-------------------------------------------------------
About the print
The text panel tells one of the best-known anecdotes of the Heian court, recorded in medieval story collections such as the Kojidan and the Jikkinshō. Fujiwara no Sanekata, a captain of the palace guard (chūjō), quarrelled with the young courtier Fujiwara no Yukinari inside the palace. In a fit of temper he knocked off Yukinari’s court cap and threw it into the small courtyard. Yukinari showed no sign of anger. He calmly called a palace servant to retrieve the cap, put it back on, and quietly asked what he had done to deserve such treatment.
Emperor Ichijō had watched the scene unseen. Impressed by Yukinari’s self-control, he appointed him head of the Chamberlains’ Office (kurōdo no tō). Sanekata was sent away to the distant province of Mutsu in the far north, where he died in 998. Tradition gives the emperor’s order as a polite exile: Sanekata was to go and “see the famous poetic places” of the north.
Both men were exceptional figures. Yukinari (972–1027) is remembered as one of the Sanseki, the “Three Brush Traces”, the greatest calligraphers of the Heian period. Sanekata was a celebrated poet whose verse is included in the Hyakunin isshu anthology. For a Meiji audience, the lesson was clear: dignity and restraint win advancement, and temper leads to ruin.
______________________________________________
About the series
Kyōdō risshi no motoi was published by Matsuki Heikichi between October 1885 and November 1890. It presents heroes and heroines from antiquity to the Meiji era as models of moral character and achievement, and was intended for instruction as much as for collecting. The series grew to 58 prints plus a table-of-contents sheet, in which Takayama Hikokurō is listed as no. 45. The print itself is unnumbered, which is normal for the late sheets of the series.
Seven artists contributed. Kobayashi Kiyochika designed the most sheets (20), followed by Mizuno Toshikata with 16, Inoue Tankei with 13 and Toshikata’s teacher Yoshitoshi with 5. Toshikata’s contributions belong to the final years of the series, 1888–1890, when he was in his early twenties and establishing himself as one of the leading figure designers of the Meiji period.
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
Meiji period (1868-1912)
Number of objects
1
Country of Origin
Japan
Attribution
Original
Height
37 cm
Width
25 cm
Title of artwork
Fujiwara no Yukinari and Fujiwara no Sanekata · Heian court anecdote of composure · by Inoue Tankei
Condition
Excellent condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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