Utagawa KUNINAO (1793-1854)
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A pair of original paintings: One showing a beauty being followed by her servant down a jetty into a waiting boat. He protects her with an umbrella in one hand and carries food on a tray with the other. The whole scene under heavy snow. The other painting shows a beauty composing a poem. Above a wild goose flies before a full moon. Probably originally two of three setsu-getsu-ka, “Snow, Moon, Flowers.” A theme popular with ukiyo-e artists and originally derived from China. Kuninao studied under Toyokuni and then Hokusai and is also known for many illustrated books. His paintings now rare. Each painting full colour on silk, image size 36.5 x 12.75 in; 92.5 x 32.5 cms. In excellent condition. Beautifully presented with new mounts. One painting signed Kohsoen hitsu with seal Shohzan.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNINAO (1793-1854)
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A surimono with series title Bijin awase, “Beautiful Women.” Shows a scantily clad diver emerging from waves holding an abalone shell and clinging to a rock. There are obvious erotic overtones to this wonderful surimono: Awabi divers were objects of great voyeuristic curiosity to the general public and feature in many aspects of Japanese art. Poems by Chinchoya Chincho and Jingoro Takumi. Provenance: Ex collection Louis Gonse, 1846-1921, who was a great collector of Japanese art and published L’Art Japonaise in 1883. Seal au verso. Very Rare: Other impressions are in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin. See The Art of Surimono, Roger Keyes, 1985, no. 236, p. 267; MFA, Boston, RES.46.27; and illustrated in McKee, Colored in the Year’s New Light: Japanese Surimono From The Becker Collection, Cornell University, 2008, no. 112.
Fine impression and colour with silver printing to the waves. Evidence of mounting around edge au verso, otherwise fine condition. Artist’s seal Kuninao.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNINAO (1793-1854)
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An original painting showing a sumptuously attired parading courtesan. Kuninao was a pupil of Toyokuni, then a follower of Hokusai. Above is a lengthy inscription on the Yoshiwara by Shikitei Sanba ( 1776-1822 ). Together with Santo Kyoden, a professional writer of gesaku fiction. Famous for one of the best known works of the late Edo period; Ukiyoburo or “Bathhouse of the Floating World” ( 1809 ). Full colour on silk, 33.25 x 12.25 in; 84.5 x 31 cms. Slight browning, otherwise good condition. Old mount in good condition. Painting signed Utagawa Kuninao with Utagawa seal. Inscription signed and sealed Shikitei Sanba with date Bunka 9 ( 1812 ).
Status: Sold
