Katsukawa Shunshō’s portrait of the poet Koshikibu no Naishi, from the celebrated 1775 picture book - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
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€ 73
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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 € 200 - € 300
 | €73 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €70 | |
| €50 |
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This original Japanese Edo-period woodblock-printed book leaf, measuring 36 × 24 cm, depicts the poet Koshikibu no Naishi and is attributed to Katsukawa Shunshō; it comes from the 1775 series Nishiki hyakunin isshu azuma-ori and is in excellent condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792)
Title: Koshikibu no Naishi (小式部内侍)
Poem no.: 60
Series: Nishiki hyakunin isshu azuma-ori (錦百人一首あづま織), Eastern Brocade of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets
Date: Japan, 1775 (An’ei 4), Edo period
Publisher: Kariganeya Gisuke (雁金屋義助)
Calligraphy: Sayama (Akagi) Chikayuki
Carver: Inoue Shinshichirō (井上新七郎)
Printer: Yamamoto Genshichirō (山本源七郎)
Format: Single leaf from a woodblock-printed book, approx. 27 × 19 cm
________________________________________________________
Impression: Excellent impression. The colour palette is well perserved.
Paper: The sheet is firm and has generous margins. There is a small repair in the centre barely visible! Very good overall.
_______________________________________________________
THE POET AND THE POEM
Poem 60 of the anthology is by Koshikibu no Naishi (c. 999–1025), a lady-in-waiting at the Heian court and the daughter of the famous poet Izumi Shikibu:
Ōeyama / ikuno no michi no / tōkereba / mada fumi mo mizu / Ama no hashidate
The road past Mount Ōe and Ikuno is so long that I have never set foot on Ama-no-hashidate, nor seen a letter from there.
The poem comes with a famous story. Koshikibu was a young woman when she was invited to a poetry contest at court. Her mother was away in Tango province with her husband, and the courtier Fujiwara no Sadayori teased Koshikibu by asking whether she had sent a messenger to Tango to get her mother’s help with a poem. Koshikibu replied on the spot with these lines. The play on fumi, which means both “to step” and “a letter”, showed that she needed no help from anyone. Sadayori is said to have been so embarrassed that he left without a reply. Ama-no-hashidate, a sandbar in Tango, is one of the Three Famous Views of Japan.
____________________________________________________
About the Book:
Nishiki hyakunin isshu azuma-ori was published in Edo in the spring of 1775. It is one of the finest colour-printed books of the 18th century. Shunshō, best known as the founder of the Katsukawa school of actor prints, gave each of the hundred classical poets a full-page portrait with the poem written above. He produced the book with a named team of calligrapher, carver and printer. The title compares the colour printing of Edo (Azuma, “the East”) with woven brocade. The book is held in the Metropolitan Museum, MFA Boston, the British Museum, the Freer Gallery, the Harvard Art Museums and the National Diet Library in Tokyo.
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: Katsukawa Shunshō (1726–1792)
Title: Koshikibu no Naishi (小式部内侍)
Poem no.: 60
Series: Nishiki hyakunin isshu azuma-ori (錦百人一首あづま織), Eastern Brocade of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets
Date: Japan, 1775 (An’ei 4), Edo period
Publisher: Kariganeya Gisuke (雁金屋義助)
Calligraphy: Sayama (Akagi) Chikayuki
Carver: Inoue Shinshichirō (井上新七郎)
Printer: Yamamoto Genshichirō (山本源七郎)
Format: Single leaf from a woodblock-printed book, approx. 27 × 19 cm
________________________________________________________
Impression: Excellent impression. The colour palette is well perserved.
Paper: The sheet is firm and has generous margins. There is a small repair in the centre barely visible! Very good overall.
_______________________________________________________
THE POET AND THE POEM
Poem 60 of the anthology is by Koshikibu no Naishi (c. 999–1025), a lady-in-waiting at the Heian court and the daughter of the famous poet Izumi Shikibu:
Ōeyama / ikuno no michi no / tōkereba / mada fumi mo mizu / Ama no hashidate
The road past Mount Ōe and Ikuno is so long that I have never set foot on Ama-no-hashidate, nor seen a letter from there.
The poem comes with a famous story. Koshikibu was a young woman when she was invited to a poetry contest at court. Her mother was away in Tango province with her husband, and the courtier Fujiwara no Sadayori teased Koshikibu by asking whether she had sent a messenger to Tango to get her mother’s help with a poem. Koshikibu replied on the spot with these lines. The play on fumi, which means both “to step” and “a letter”, showed that she needed no help from anyone. Sadayori is said to have been so embarrassed that he left without a reply. Ama-no-hashidate, a sandbar in Tango, is one of the Three Famous Views of Japan.
____________________________________________________
About the Book:
Nishiki hyakunin isshu azuma-ori was published in Edo in the spring of 1775. It is one of the finest colour-printed books of the 18th century. Shunshō, best known as the founder of the Katsukawa school of actor prints, gave each of the hundred classical poets a full-page portrait with the poem written above. He produced the book with a named team of calligrapher, carver and printer. The title compares the colour printing of Edo (Azuma, “the East”) with woven brocade. The book is held in the Metropolitan Museum, MFA Boston, the British Museum, the Freer Gallery, the Harvard Art Museums and the National Diet Library in Tokyo.
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
Katsukawa Shunshō’s portrait of the poet Koshikibu no Naishi, from the celebrated 1775 picture book
Condition
Excellent condition
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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