JAPANESE ART > UKIYO-E WOODBLOCK PRINTS > SNOW SPECTRES IN THE GARDEN

Lot 00335
N.1 ukiyo-e woodblock print

Toyohara Chikanobu

SNOW SPECTRES IN THE GARDEN

Year: 1884
Condition: very good
Size: 23,5 x 35 cm

SOLD

Important polychrome woodblock print made in 1884 by the famous artist Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延). Taira no Kiyomori (平清盛), the founder of the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan, observes the garden of the Rokuhara (六波羅) residence, in the ancient province of Yamashiro (山城国). But, due to an impetus of his conscience on which weighs the killing of many enemies, the snow-covered trees, bushes and rocks have turned to threatening skulls and skeletons: according to tradition, these are the ghosts of warriors of the Minamoto clan (源氏).

The work is taken from the series "Snow, Moon and Flowers" (雪月花) printed by the publisher Kobayashi Tetsujiro (小林鉄次郎). In the box at the top right, the protagonist of the scene is called with his Buddhist name "Dajo Nyudo Jokai" (太政入道浄海), literally "the grand minister who became the priest Jokai". In the box at the top left we see, instead, a detail of the Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社), rebuilt in 1168 thanks to the funding of Taira no Kiyomori.

The precious print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the right signs of aging is in very good general condition.

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