Fan Prints of Women
Part I
An uchiwa is a non-folding fan consisting
of paper attached to a bamboo frame.
These prints, which were intended to be glued
onto an uchiwa, are called uchiwa-e. Six series of uchiwa-e of women are listed as numbers 41, 50, 99, 212, 213, and
219 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William
Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).
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Series:
Select Theatrical Dancers (Mitate sambasô) Robinson:
41 Title:
Taste and Fruit Description:
The tongue poking Sambasô Date: 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) Comment:
The other two prints in this series are ‘Touch and Textile’ by Kunisada and
‘Sight and a Silver-Decorated Black Lacquer Box’ by Hiroshige. |
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Series:
Eight Assemblies of the Floating Night (Ukiyo
hakkwai) Robinson:
50 Title: The
Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara Description:
Geisha in male dress performing a
dance called the niwaka. Date:
1847-1850 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Assemblies of the Floating Night (Ukiyo
hakkwai) Robinson:
50 Title: Description:
Beauty in the snow Date:
1847-1850 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) Image courtesy of John Lord |
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Series:
Cherries (Sakurazoroi) Robinson:
Not listed Title: Morning
Cherry Description:
Beauty with cherry blossoms Date: 1855 Publisher:
Enshu-ya Matabei |
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Series:
Three Great Bridges of the Eastern Capitol (Tôto sandaikyo no uchi) Robinson:
Not listed Title: Description:
Date: 1853 Publisher:
Kojima |
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Series:
The Three Rivers Illustrated (Sansen zue) Robinson:
99 Title: Fukagawa Date: 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
The Three Rivers Illustrated (Sansen zue) Robinson:
99 Title: Date: 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Ôtsu Pictures for the Eight Views (Ôtsu-ye
hakkei) Robinson:
212 Title:
Evening Rain and Thunder (Kaminari no yoru no ame) Description:
The god of thunder (Raijin or Raiden)
pulling his drum out of the sea Date:
1849-51 Publisher: Tsuji |
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Series:
Ôtsu Pictures for the Eight Views (Ôtsu-ye hakkei) Robinson:
212 Title: Nenbutsu priest in evening snow (Nenbutsu no bosetsu) Description: Date:
1849-51 Publisher:
Tsuji |
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Series:
Ôtsu Pictures for the Eight Views (Ôtsu-ye hakkei) Robinson:
212 Title: A
fine day and Fukurokuju Description:
Fukurokuju, one of the seven lucky gods, having his
head shaved Date:
1849-51 Publisher:
Tsuji |
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Series:
Snow, Moon and Flowers (Setsugekkwa no uchi) Robinson:
213 Title:
Moon Description: Date:
1847-1850 Publisher:
Masugindo Image courtesy of Richard Illing |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title:
Bush clover Description:
Beauty wiping her hands Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Another state of the above
print |
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This is a key block print. It is
an impression pulled from the first woodblock made by a carver from the
artist’s original drawing. The artist
would write instructions for each color on a separate key block print, and
the woodblock for each color was cut using one of these as a guide. Registration marks (kento) are characteristically
found on Japanese key block prints. Kento are cut
in each woodblock, so that the paper can be properly aligned on each
woodblock during printing. A kento is
visible in this print’s right lower corner.
In addition to being a guide for
carving the color woodblocks, the key block was also used to apply black ink
(usually) in the printing process. |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title:
Pine Description:
Beauty eating Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title: Description:
Beauty holding a book Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title: Chrysanthemums Description:
Beauty with a cat Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title:
Peonies Description: Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title:
Pinks Description:
Beauty picking a flower Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Eight Selected Flowers from the Garden (Enchû hassen ka) Robinson:
219 Title: Cherry
blossoms Description:
Beauty standing amidst falling cherry blossoms Date: 1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
untitled series of beauties reflected in mirrors Robinson:
not listed Description:
Beauty shaving her forelock Date:
1843-1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
untitled series of beauties reflected in mirrors Robinson:
not listed Description:
Beauty with a face brush Date:
1843-1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
untitled series of beauties reflected in mirrors Robinson:
not listed Description:
Beauty holding a cat Date:
1843-1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
untitled series of beauties reflected in mirrors Robinson:
not listed Description:
Young mother combing her hair with a baby at her breast Date:
1843-1845 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô (Dansendô) |
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Series:
Five Modern Women (Imayô gonin no onna) Robinson:
not listed Title: Description:
A courtesan Date:
1850-1852 Publisher: |
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Series:
Eight Views of the Eastern Capitol (Tôto hakkei) Robinson:
not listed Title:
Sundown (Asakusa no seiran) Description:
Probably a seller from a shop at the Kinryuzan,
which is partly seen Date: Publisher:
no seal |
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Series:
Famous Views of Edo ( Robinson:
not listed Title: Ryôgokubashi Description: Date: 1851-1853 Publisher: |
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Series:
Famous Views of Edo ( Robinson:
not listed Title: Description: Date:
1851-1853 Publisher: |
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Series:
The Seven Komachi Robinson:
not listed Title: Amagoi Komachi (雨乞小町), literally rain-prayer Komachi Comment:
Komachi ends a drought by offering the following poem as a prayer for rain,
“It is only reasonable since this is the Land of the Rising Sun for the sun
to shine. Nevertheless it is also
called ama-ga-shita.” (both 天 [heaven] and 雨 [rain] reads ame/ama).
Usually depicted is the petitioning Komachi by the shore of a pond in heavy
rain–often with a servant holding an umbrella. Date:
1847-1848 Publisher:
Enshû-ya Matabei Image courtesy of Richard Illing |
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Series:
The Seven Komachi Robinson:
not listed Title: Soushi-arai Komachi 草紙洗小町, literally Komachi washing a book Comment:
The night before a poetry contest at the Imperial Palace, Ootomo
no Kuronushi overhears his rival, Ono no Komachi,
recite her entry aloud to herself.
Hoping to disqualify her, he writes it into a copy of the Man’youshuu,
and on the day of the competition accuses her of plagiarism. However, Komachi washes (arai) the book
(soushi),
whereupon the fresh ink washed away and exposes Kuronushi's
scheme. The poem reads, “No one has
sown it–from what seed issues the floating grass which in the watery furrow
of the waves sprouts and grows thick?” Date:
1847-1848 Publisher:
Enshû-ya Matabei Image courtesy of Richard Illing |
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Series:
The Seven Komachi Robinson:
not listed Title: Oumu Komachi 鴎鵡小町, literally parrot Komachi Comment:
The emperor sends a poem of pity to the aged Komachi: “Although above the
clouds things do not change from how they were in the past, do you look back
fondly on your time spent within the jeweled curtains”. By changing only one word of the emperor’s
poem, Komachi demonstrates that age has not dulled her wit, “Although above
the clouds things do not change from how they were in the past, I do indeed
look back fondly on my time spent within the jeweled curtains.” Illustrations frequently include a
parrot–often painted on a screen–because to repeat another's words
mechanically is called “parrot's repetition”. Date:
1847-1848 Publisher:
Enshû-ya Matabei |
‘Robinson’ refers to listing of the series in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).
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