KUNIYOSHI - 100 Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets - c. 1845–48 - Japanese Woodblock - 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.
Estimate € 150 - € 250
 | €68 | |
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 | €65 | |
| €44 | |
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Original Japanese Ōban woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, made c. 1845–48 for the Ogura Imitations of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets series, depicting Okiku and Kyōgoku Takumi from the drama Hikosan Gongen.
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Description from the seller
** Kuniyoshi’s Okiku and Kyōgoku Takumi from the Hundred Poets series: a daughter’s revenge for her murdered father ends in tragedy at Suma Bay, from the kabuki and puppet drama “Hikosan Gongen”!! **
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861)
Title: Poem by Sagami: Okiku and Kyōgoku Takumi (相模 おきく 京極内匠)
Poem no.: 65
Series: Ogura nazorae hyakunin isshu (小倉擬百人一首), Ogura Imitations of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets
Date: Japan, c. 1845–48 (late Edo period)
Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō (Dansendō)
Carver: Hori Fusajirō (彫工房次郎)
Text: Ryūkatei Tanekazu (柳下亭種員)
Format: Ōban, approx. 36 × 24 cm
________________________________________________
CONDITION
Strong impression with excellent saturated colors across the sheet. The paper has a very light backing (Edo Paper). Minor paper loss on the upper margin. Minor repairs which you can identify on the verso. Very good overall! Please check the images!
________________________________________________
THE SCENE
Poem 65 of the anthology is by Sagami, a mid-11th-century court poet who served in the household of Princess Yūshi:
Urami wabi / hosanu sode dani / aru mono o / koi ni kuchinan / na koso oshikere
Bitter and wretched, my sleeves never dry from tears, yet even they remain. What I regret is my good name, ruined because of love.
Kuniyoshi pairs it with a scene from the revenge drama Hikosan Gongen chikai no sukedachi (彦山権現誓助剣). It was first staged for the puppet theatre in 1786 and later became a kabuki play. The fencing master Yoshioka Ichimisai is murdered by the villain Kyōgoku Takumi, and his daughters set out to take revenge.
The text on the sheet tells the episode shown here. Okiku, the daughter of Yoshioka Ichimisai, takes the family servant Tomohei with her and travels through the provinces looking for her father’s killer, Kyōgoku Takumi. At Suma Bay in Settsu province she finally meets him, but he turns on her and kills her. In the play, her elder sister Osono later carries on the revenge.
The sheet leaves the link between poem and picture for the viewer to find. One plausible reading is the word urami that opens the poem. It means both bitter grief and a grudge, which matches Okiku’s resentment of her father’s murderer and her death before she could complete her revenge.
________________________________________________
About the Series:
The Ogura nazorae hyakunin isshu is one of the few series in which the three leading masters of the 1840s worked side by side: Kuniyoshi designed 51 sheets, Hiroshige 35 and Kunisada 14. Instead of portraying the classical poets themselves, each print pairs one of the hundred poems with a scene from history, legend or kabuki, and the viewer is invited to work out the connection, almost like a riddle. A short narrative text on each sheet tells the story behind the picture. Kuniyoshi's contributions are known for their strong figure compositions and storytelling, and each sheet joins a classical poem to a dramatic tale.
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.
** Kuniyoshi’s Okiku and Kyōgoku Takumi from the Hundred Poets series: a daughter’s revenge for her murdered father ends in tragedy at Suma Bay, from the kabuki and puppet drama “Hikosan Gongen”!! **
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861)
Title: Poem by Sagami: Okiku and Kyōgoku Takumi (相模 おきく 京極内匠)
Poem no.: 65
Series: Ogura nazorae hyakunin isshu (小倉擬百人一首), Ogura Imitations of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets
Date: Japan, c. 1845–48 (late Edo period)
Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō (Dansendō)
Carver: Hori Fusajirō (彫工房次郎)
Text: Ryūkatei Tanekazu (柳下亭種員)
Format: Ōban, approx. 36 × 24 cm
________________________________________________
CONDITION
Strong impression with excellent saturated colors across the sheet. The paper has a very light backing (Edo Paper). Minor paper loss on the upper margin. Minor repairs which you can identify on the verso. Very good overall! Please check the images!
________________________________________________
THE SCENE
Poem 65 of the anthology is by Sagami, a mid-11th-century court poet who served in the household of Princess Yūshi:
Urami wabi / hosanu sode dani / aru mono o / koi ni kuchinan / na koso oshikere
Bitter and wretched, my sleeves never dry from tears, yet even they remain. What I regret is my good name, ruined because of love.
Kuniyoshi pairs it with a scene from the revenge drama Hikosan Gongen chikai no sukedachi (彦山権現誓助剣). It was first staged for the puppet theatre in 1786 and later became a kabuki play. The fencing master Yoshioka Ichimisai is murdered by the villain Kyōgoku Takumi, and his daughters set out to take revenge.
The text on the sheet tells the episode shown here. Okiku, the daughter of Yoshioka Ichimisai, takes the family servant Tomohei with her and travels through the provinces looking for her father’s killer, Kyōgoku Takumi. At Suma Bay in Settsu province she finally meets him, but he turns on her and kills her. In the play, her elder sister Osono later carries on the revenge.
The sheet leaves the link between poem and picture for the viewer to find. One plausible reading is the word urami that opens the poem. It means both bitter grief and a grudge, which matches Okiku’s resentment of her father’s murderer and her death before she could complete her revenge.
________________________________________________
About the Series:
The Ogura nazorae hyakunin isshu is one of the few series in which the three leading masters of the 1840s worked side by side: Kuniyoshi designed 51 sheets, Hiroshige 35 and Kunisada 14. Instead of portraying the classical poets themselves, each print pairs one of the hundred poems with a scene from history, legend or kabuki, and the viewer is invited to work out the connection, almost like a riddle. A short narrative text on each sheet tells the story behind the picture. Kuniyoshi's contributions are known for their strong figure compositions and storytelling, and each sheet joins a classical poem to a dramatic tale.
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)
Country of Origin
Japan
Attribution
Original
Title of artwork
KUNIYOSHI - 100 Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets - c. 1845–48 - Japanese Woodblock
Condition
Good condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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