Data
Description
A set of 二丁 (ni-cho - two-up) surimono in vertical format, depicting scenes in the life of Nichiren (the set should apparently have 16 items; one seems to be missing). An envelope which also originally accompanied the set is also missing.
The series is thought to have been produced by the 納札睦 (Nosatsu-mutsumi), a group of senjafuda enthusiasts active from the 1930s. An offshoot of this group, the 東都納札睦 (Toto Nosatsu-mutsumi), appears to continue to this day. While the name of the group isn't clearly visible in any of the senjafuda, characters on the lanterns and signs in the lower section of some of the prints give us a good hint.
Scattered throughout the series we see the recurring characters 南無妙法蓮華経 (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō), sacred words chanted in Nichiren Buddhism.
The floral Nichiren izutsu ni tachibana-mon ("Tachibana crest in square wooden well curb") crest can be seen in the upper section of all of the prints.
The collection of scenes in these senjafuda seem to have been inspired by Utagawa Kuniyoshi's ca.1835-6 series of prints titled Koso Go-Ichidai Ryaku-zu ("Brief Outline of the Life of Koso (Priest Nichiren)", 高祖御一代略図).