Illustrated Abridged Biography of Kôsô
(Kôsô go-ichidai
ryaku zu)
Publisher: Ise-ya Rihei
1835-1836
Nichiren, also known as Kôsô, was a Buddhist priest who lived from 1222 to 1282. He has had various miracles attributed to him and founded the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, of which Kuniyoshi was an adherent. The prints in this series are each about 10 by 14 inches (25 by 36 centimeters), a size known as ôban.
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Title:
Nichiren converting the spirit of a cormorant fisherman on the Scene:
Nichiren, seated on a rocky shore, is praying for the repose of the soul of a
cormorant fisherman in a boat below Robinson:
S6.1 Schaap:
17.1 |
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Title:
Komatsu Moor in Tôjô on Scene:
Nichiren using the power of his prayer beads to foil an attack by Tôjô no
Sayemon Komatsubara in 1264 Robinson:
S6.2 Schaap:
17.2 |
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Title: The
star of wisdom descends on the thirteenth night of the ninth month Scene: An
apparition of Buddha appears to Nichiren in an old plum tree Robinson:
S6.3 Schaap:
17.3 |
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Title: The
prayer for rain on the promontory of Reisan in Scene: On
a promontory over the ocean, an attendant is holding an umbrella over
Nichiren after his prayer for rain was answered Robinson:
S6.4 Schaap:
17.4 |
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This is from a set
reproduced from newly cut woodblocks.
The print size has been reduced (paper 20 by 28.5 cm.), and the
marginal text has been removed. |
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Title: At
Komuroyama on Scene:
Nichiren keeping a rock thrown at him suspended in the air Robinson:
S6.5 Schaap:
17.5 |
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Title:
Apparition of the seven-faced god at Scene: While
Nichiren was conducting services, a dragon in a dark cloud emerged from the
body of a woman who had disturbed his devotions. Robinson:
S6.6 Schaap:
17.6 |
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Title: The
defeat of Mongol army in 1281 as prophesied by Nichiren Scene:
Ships of the invading Mongolian army were battered by a severe storm, and the
survivors were easily vanquished by the Japanese soldiers. Robinson:
S6.7 Schaap:
17.7 |
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Title:
At Takinoguchi in Scene:
Nichiren’s life is miraculously saved when rays emanating from the sun
shatter the sword of his would be executioner. Robinson:
S6.8 Schaap:
17.8 |
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Title: On
the waves at Kakuda on the way to Sado Scene: Nichiren
calming a rough sea with a prayer on his way to exile in Sado Robinson:
S6.9 Schaap:
17.9 NOTE: The
Lotus Sutra (namu myôhô renge kyô)
can be seen in black script on the surface of the water. |
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This is another edition of
the above print. |
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Title:
Tsukahara in Scene:
Nichiren traveling in the snow at Tsukahara on Robinson:
S6.10 Schaap:
17.10 |
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This is the second state of
the above design, which is one of Kuniyoshi’s most famous. It lacks the horizontal line that
demarcates the horizon in the first state (above). |
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This is yet another state
that lacks the subtle shading (bokashi)
seen in the previous image. |
‘Robinson’ refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its unpublished supplement.
‘Schaap’
refers to listing in ‘Heroes and Ghosts: Japanese Prints by Kuniyoshi’ by
Robert Schaap (Hotei Publishing, Leiden, 1998).
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