Surimono of Women,
Part I
The
first three series of prints have titles beginning with “Fûzoku onna Suikoden”. Each print in these three series likens a
beautiful woman to one of the heroes of the semi-historical Chinese novel,
Suikoden (Shuihu zhuan in Chinese). The first series of five prints may be placed
side-by-side to form a pentaptych, and the second series is listed as number
148 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William
Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961). I am grateful to Ward Pieters
for assisting with this section.
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 1 Suikoden hero:
Genshôshichi Description:
A beauty gathering salt on the beach Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.1.1 NOTE: This
series of five surimono was
designed for the Taiko (Drum) club of kyôka poets |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 2 Suikoden hero:
Kishun Description:
A beauty with two buckets of water on a yoke over her shoulders Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.1.2 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 3 Suikoden hero:
Genshôni (Ruan Xiao'er) Description:
A seated beauty smoking a pipe with a basket at her side Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.1.3 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 4 Suikoden hero:
Chôô (Zhang Heng) Description:
A beauty drawing salt water in one of two buckets suspended from a yoke over
her shoulders Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.1.4 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 5 Suikoden hero:
Genshôgo (Ruan Xiaowu) Description:
A beauty with two buckets on a yoke over her shoulders Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.1.5 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Oteiroku Description:
A beauty seated in a boat by the coast at Mitsumata Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.1 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Roshungi Description:
A beauty smoking a pipe seated on an ox, which is lead by a boy Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.2 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Kaei Description:
A beauty leaned against a wall with a pipe in her hand Size: Shikishiban (about
8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.3 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Ensei Description:
A shirabyôshi
dancer in a white kimono wearing a
high court cap and holding an open fan Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.4 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Saishin Description:
A beauty walking in the hall of votive paintings (emadou) in a Buddhist temple
viewing a landscape painting Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.5 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Shubu Description:
A beauty leaned upon a fulling-block looking behind
her at a flowering cherry Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.6 NOTE: A fulling-block was used to remove unwanted creases and
place desirable creases in clothes as an iron is used today. |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Taikan Description:
A beauty seated in a palanquin holding
a pipe taking a rest by a road sign Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1830 Schaap:
2.a.2.7 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Rinchû Description:
A beauty clad in an overkimono and a black scarf
around her head holding a closed umbrella Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.1 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Kôsonshô Description:
A beauty standing by a basin (o-tearai) surprised at the sight of a dragon reflected on
the surface of the water Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.2 Image courtesy of Richard Illing |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Chôsei Description:
Beauty throwing unglazed earthenware dishes from Dôkan
Hill in Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.3 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Bushô Description:
Reclining beauty reading a book and holding a pipe with her legs in the kotatsu with a
cat on top Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.4 NOTE: A kotatsu is a
low, open wooden frame covered by a blanket with a heat source underneath. |
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This is another state of the
above surimono, with the poem,
poetry club’s emblem, subtitle and printer’s seal removed |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Goyô Description:
Beauty seated on a large pillow with a long pipe and a standing clock behind
her Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.5 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Chôjun Description:
A geisha in a covered boat wringing
out a piece of cloth Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.6 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Sôkô Description:
A beauty playing a one-stringed chin
(ichigenkin)
while looking at a painting of the goddess Benten Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.7 |
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Series:
Suikoden of Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero:
Shishin Description:
A beauty seated, wearing a kimono
decorated with a dragon, and resting her hands on a long pipe Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c.
1832 Schaap:
2.a.3.8 |
“Schaap” refers to listing in Heroes and Ghosts: Japanese Prints by Kuniyoshi by Robert Schaap (Hotei Publishing, Leiden, 1998).
