Utagawa Sadatora (tätig ca. 1822-1846)
A lively summer scene on the beach of Shichirigahama, off the island of Enoshima, a pilgrimage site with the sanctuary of the goddess Benzaiten, and especially popular with women.
Sitting on an ox, an elegant beauty gives fire to another woman; other travelling ladies are grouping around a shell-diver accompanied by a child assistant. Three swimming children are frollicking in the breaking waves. In the background Mount Fuji on the horizon.
Title: Kamakura Shichirigahama yori Enoshima tômi no zu (A distant View of Enoshima from Seven-mile Beach in Kamakura)
Signature: Gofûtei Sadatora ga
Publisher: Ezakiya Tatsuzô, Edo
Censor: Kiwame
Date: 1830s
Size: Ôban triptych, c. 36,3 x 75,5 cm (overall)
Very good impression. Colours other than blue mostly faded, but overall still harmonious due to the fresh blue, richly used in various shades. Unbacked, seaparate sheets. Bottom trimmed, with rubbing and staining. Slight foxing on top. Some small holes and wormage in marginal areas expertly restored. Overall good condition of this beautiful and rare triptych, which is one of the best compositions of the Osaka artist, an early pupil of Kunisada.
Interestingly, Sadatora designed this motif in two different versions for the same publisher. Most likely the present, rarer version is the earlier one.
Cf. MAK Vienna, nos. HM 11486-146/147/148; also Worcester Art Museum, no. 1901.59.96. Waseda o12-0110 and 0111, the left the sheet missing. The Fujisawa Ukiyo-e Museum, which also has this version in its collection, dates it to 1839.
sold