Totoya Hokkei (1780-1850)
Surimono in the style of a collage: the Heian era female poet Koshikibu no Naishi (died 1025), depicted on a gold background under the calligraphy of her poem. Above in a fan the famous "heaven‘s bridge" of Amanohashidate. To the right on a tanzaku a poem by Ikenoya Masumi from Hino, Ômi province, also referring to this famous landscape. On the deep blue background ornamental roundels, printed with metallic pigment.
Title: Amanohashidate – No. 2
Series: Sankei no uchi (The three most famous landscapes of Japan)
Seal: Hokkei
Date: c. 1833
Size: Shikishiban surimono, 20,2 x 17,9 cm
Excellent impression and colours, with metallic pigments and relief printing. Only minimal toning, metal pigment slightly rubbed off in parts. A little trimmed, three small holes at right margin expertly restored, thinly mounted. Overall very nice and clean condition.
From a rare small series (or triptych) with the three most famous landscapes of Japan - Matsushima, Amanohashidate and Miyajima.
Ill. in Roger Keyes, The Art of Surimono, London 1985, vol. I, p. 183, no. 152, with transcription and translation of the poems. Cf. also MFA Boston, Bigelow Coll., 11.24964 and Spaulding Coll., 21.10401-3 (all three prints); AIC (Art Institute of Chicago), 1954.590. Kruml 1989, no. 85. Two variants exist, here the roundels in the background are printed in a copper colored pigment, the other being silvery.
sold