JAPANESE ART > UKIYO-E WOODBLOCK PRINTS > THE FOX SPIRIT ASAO NO TSUBONE

Lot 00351
N.1 ukiyo-e woodblock print

Adachi Ginko

THE FOX SPIRIT ASAO NO TSUBONE

Year: 1874
Condition: very good
Size: 23 x 35 cm

SOLD

Important woodblock print by the artist Adachi Ginko (安達吟光) depicting the actor Onoe Kikugoro V (五代目尾上菊五郎) in the role of the evil Asao no Tsubone (浅尾之局) who, wrapped by ten snakes, is forced to reveal her true identity of fox spirit (妖狐) because of a pain that, we read in a famous lexeme yojijukugo (四字熟語) contained in the white box in the upper right corner, makes her fall seven times and again eight (七転八倒).

The work, inspired by a story by the author Murai Teikichi (邑井貞吉), was made in 1874 by the publisher Gusokuya Kahei (具足屋嘉兵衛) and by the carver Watanabe Horiei (渡辺彫栄) and is taken from the series "A Kodan Story" (講談一席話), a series dedicated precisely to stories of historical inspiration composed according to the canons of traditional kodan (講談) declamatory art.

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

Back to home page »