Miscellaneous 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 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:
Parodies of the Sanbasô Dance (Mitate
sanbasô) Robinson:
41 Title:
Allusion to the Character Sanbasô Date:
First month of 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô Comment: The
spray of loquats in the beauty’s right hand resembles the golden bells used
in the sanbasô dance. The other two
prints in this series are “Allusion to the Character Okina” by Kunisada and
“Allusion to the Character Senzai” by Hiroshige. |
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Keyblock print for another
state of the above design |
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Series: A
Series of Cherries (Sakurazoroi, 桜揃) Robinson:
Not listed Title: A
Beautiful Cherry (小町桜) Description:
Date: 1st
month of 1855 Publisher:
Enshu-ya Matabei I am grateful to Ward
Pieters for locating this image. |
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Series: A
Series of Cherries (Sakurazoroi, 桜揃) Robinson:
Not listed Title:
Morning Cherry Description:
Beauty with cherry blossoms Date: 1st
month of 1855 Publisher:
Enshu-ya Matabei |
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Series:
The Three Rivers Illustrated (Sansen
zue) Robinson:
99 Title:
Fukagawa Date: 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô |
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Series:
The Three Rivers Illustrated (Sansen
zue) Robinson:
99 Title: Date: 1855 Publisher:
Iba-ya Sensaburô |
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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:
Beauties, Moon, Flower and Snow (Bijin
gekkasetsu) Robinson:
Not listed Title:
Snow Description: Date: 1853 Publisher:
Hanmoto ta (板元 太) |
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Series:
Five Modern Women (Imayô gonin no onna) Robinson:
not listed Title: Description:
A courtesan Date:
1850-1852 Publisher:
Hanmoto ta (板元 太) |
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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 Places in Robinson:
not listed Title:
Ryôgokubashi Description: Date:
1851-1853 Publisher:
Sanpei |
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Series:
Famous Places in Robinson:
not listed Title: Description: Date:
1851-1853 Publisher:
Sanpei |
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Series:
Famous Places in Robinson:
not listed Title:
Cherry blossoms on the banks of the Description:
Woman in a robe with a floral pattern arranging cherry-blossom Date:
1851-1853 Publisher:
Sanpei |
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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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