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Subject:Unknown Japanese print id
Posted By: Tom Aspdem Fri, Oct 09, 2020 IP: 82.132.184.220

Hi, I would like somebody to discern the artist and title of this print that I found?

Thanks very much



Subject:Re: Unknown Japanese print id
Posted By: I.Nagy Sat, Oct 10, 2020

Title,
日本名所古今人物圖會 - Nihon Meisho Kokin Jinbutsu
Zue - Famous Places, Ancient and Moderm People of Japan
武蔵 山吹の里 - Musashi Yamabuki no Sato -
Musashi (Province) Village of Yamabuki (Mountain Roses)

Old poem (Transcribed into moden kanas)
七重八重花はさけども山ぶきの
みのひとつだになきぞ
かなしき
Nanae-yae hana wa sakedomo yamabuki no
mi no hitotsu dani naki zo
kanashiki
Yamabukis (Mountain Roses) have seven folded double flowers, but I am sad that they don't bring fruits

or in other reading;

Yamabukis have seven folded double flowers, but I am so sad that it doesn't serve as a mino (Straw rain cape)

The interpreation differs if you read it;
...no mi no .... or ..no mino

Cartouche under the falconer,
太田道灌持資 - Ǒta Dōkan Mochisuke 1432-1486
Japanese warrior, poet and military tactician

The story depicted on the print is about him. When he was young, he went out for falconry, encountered a shower and tried to rent a mino (straw rain cape), but a branch of Yamabuki (Mountain Rose) was handed over to him by a young girl. Dokan was angry and left the place, but later a vassal explained the girl's act with the anbiguous old poem. Actually the girl and her family was so poor that they didn't have a mino to lend. Knowing that he was so ashamed of his ignorance that he devoted himself to learning.

Signature of artist,
静斎筆 - Brush of Seisai

According to my search there were two ukiyo-e artist who used Seisai (静斎)as pseudonym;
Utagawa Yoshimura 歌川芳邨 and
Utagawa Yoshimasa 歌川芳政
I can't find reference signatures for identification.

I try to look into the things in more detail, but I can't promise anything for sure. At first, I can't find the title (series) anywhere.

With regards,
I.Nagy


Subject:Re: Unknown Japanese print id
Posted By: Tom Aspden Sat, Oct 10, 2020

Thanks so much I. Nagy, you have provided me with much more information than I expected. This is very interesting, I always like to know the story depicted in a picture!

Regards,
Tom

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