Item from the Mokuhankan Flea Market

Utagawa of Matsubaya

Size: 38.0cm by 24.0cm (14.96 in by 9.45 in) | Enlargement | Shipping Code: [L] ?

Designer: Utagawa Toyokuni

Era: Post-war | Currency: $ / £ / €

Price: ¥ 8,000$ 61.00£ 48.25€ 56.25 [Item has been sold]

Description: This print by Utagawa Toyokuni is from the 1790s series “Beauties as the Seven Komachi”. It depicts the young beauty Utagawa of the Matsubaya.

The seven legendary plays based on legends from the life of the 9th-century poet Ono no Komachi served as the source for this print series.  The one that is represented here is Kiyomizu Komachi (Komachi at Kiyomizu Temple) when she prays at the temple to successfully resolve a poetry contest. In this design, the legendary poet is substituted with a contemporary beauty : Utagawa of the Matsubara. The young beauty is kneeling in front of a small altar. A buddhist image is placed in the middle while the smoke of a light candle floats upward. She is wearing a very elegant black and white outer robe that contrasts beautifully with her inner red kimono.

Toyokuni shows his skill in depicting her with this serene and peacefully expression that spreads to the whole design.

This version was made from an original in the Tokyo National Museum. It was carved by Ito-san, the old carver who Dave has featured in some of the YouTube videos ...

Carver: Ito Susumu Printer: Irie Yoshimitsu

This print is a reproduction published by Ishu Kanko-kai and produced by Kajikawa Kobo probably in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

There are slight creases at the right part of this print.

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