UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

Soma no furudairi ni Masakado himegimi Takiyasha yojutsu o motte mikata o atsumuru (In the ruined palace of [Taira] Masakado at Soma his daughter Princess Takiyasha uses sorcery to summon allies [the monster skeleton])

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UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Soma no furudairi ni Masakado himegimi Takiyasha yojutsu o motte mikata o atsumuru (In the ruined palace of [Taira] Masakado at Soma his daughter Princess Takiyasha uses sorcery to summon allies [the monster skeleton])
Woodblock print, triptych, each sheet signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, circa 1844
Vertical oban triptych: 14 3/8 x 9 5/8 in. (36.5 x 24.4 cm.) each approx.
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Takaaki Murakami (村上高明)
Takaaki Murakami (村上高明) Vice President, Specialist and Head of Department | Korean Art

Lot Essay

This famous print is based on the book Uto Yasukata chugi-den [Story on the Loyalty of Uto Yasukata], written by Santo Kyoden (1761-1816). The legend tells that Princess Takiyasha was the daughter on Taira no Masakado, who had died in the year 940 during an unsuccessful rebellion. At some point she and her stepbrother met Nikushisen, a spirit, whose powers helped them in forming a rebellion. They go to the Soma Palace (which belonged to their father) to enact their plan. However, a retainer of Minamoto Yorinobu, Oya Taro Mitsukuni, discovered the plot and finally defeated the princess and her stepbrother at the palace. In Kuniyoshi's depiction of this legend, the ghost appears dramatically as a giant skeleton, drawing back a torn bamboo blind to haunt Mitsukuni. The princess looks on, chanting a spell.

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