Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)
Chapter 4 - from the series Lingering Sentiments of a Late Collection of Genji (Genji goshū yojō - 源氏後集余情): - Suetsumuhana (The Safflower - 末摘花) - left panel of a diptych
12/1857
9.5 in x 14.2 in (Overall dimensions) color woodblock prints
Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊国画)
Publisher: Sakanaya Eikichi
(Marks 442 - seal 24-007)
Carver: Yokogawa Hori Take (横川彫竹)
Censor seal: aratame
Date: 12/1857
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum für angewandte Kunst, Vienna
Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen (Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden) via Ritsumeikan University
Náprstek Museum
National Diet Library
Tokyo Metropolitan Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts The title of this series, Lingering Sentiments of a Late Collection of Genji (Genji goshū yojō), is actually a pun on The Fifty-four Chapters of the Tale of Genji (Genji gojūyojō). This print shows a woman standing near a bonkei (盆景) or miniature landscape.
The woman's fan is decorated with a morning glory plant (asagao aa 朝顔) in bloom. Her robe is printed with various Genji mon.
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What is the proper reading of the name of this publisher?
Most institutions read the name of this publisher as Uoya Eikichi. That is often how it is shown in catalogs and books. However, on page 276 of Andreas Marks's Publishers of Japanese Woodblock Prints: A Compendium noted in his entry on Sakanaya Eikichi 魚屋栄吉: "Seal name Uoei 魚栄; firm name Uoya (erroneously)". He says the name should be read correctly as Sakanaya Eikichi. That would mean that a lot of collections, collectors and art historians will need to update their files. Only time will tell.
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Is this an illustration to Chapter 6 or Chapter 4 or both?
In the original Tale of Genji Suetsumuhana represented Chapter 6, but here is referred to as Chapter 4. Why? Andreas Marks has written about this situation in the section on Lasting Impressions of a Late Genji Collection (Genji goshū yojō) in Genji's World in Japanese Woodblock Prints on page 136: "The series title cartouch appears in an oblong red cartouche in the upper part of the composition (the exception is diptych no. 17 [with the image on the left of a woman carrying a tray of seafood on her head], "The Picture Contest," which lacks a number cartouche.) Each diptych sheet has a square cartouche: in one there is a number, while in the other the name of a chapter from The Tale of Genji. One would assume that the numbers in the square cartouches are a reference to Genji chapters, similar to the majority of Genji series. Here, however, the number corresponds to the chapter of the serial novel A Rustic Genji from which the image is derived. For example, "The Twilight Beauty" (Yugao) is Chapter 4 in Genji but the diptych is numbered five, a reference to Chapter 5 of A Rustic Genji where this scene was originally illustrated. This system continues up to thirty-eight, the last chapter of A Rustic Genji."
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The British Museum curatorial files state: "... 38 diptychs plus one frontispiece comprising all the known designs from the series Genji goshū yojō (Lasting Impressions of a Late Genji Collection; 1857-61). Based on the serialized novel Nise Murasaki inaka Genji (A Country Genji by a Fake Murasaki; chapters 1-38, published 1829-42) by Ryutei Tanehiko, and its sequel Sono yukari hina no omokage (A Related Rustic Visage; chapters 39-61, published 1847-64) by Tanehiko's followers. Both novels illustrated by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)."
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What is in a name?
Several of the women in the Tale of Genji are given the names of flowers. This was not the standard practice at the time it was written. Therefore, the use of such names was probably more metaphorical than real. That might explain the use of the name Suetsumuhana (The Safflower - 末摘花). This was a woman of noble birth, but who was often kept from view because of one of her facial traits. The end of her nose was inordinately red in color. She tried to hide this fact from the world by isolating herself, but Prince Genji was nothing if not persistent.
Royall Tyler in a WordPress posting from July 1, 2010 Royall Tyler wrote: "The safflower, which has red-tipped (like Suetsumuhana’s nose) flower buds, yields a red dye. None of the plant’s other characteristics has anything to do with Suetsumuhana’s traits." Suetsumuhana was mocked for this feature. She was the object of jokes. However, anyone looking at this print showing a beautiful woman could be excused for not realizing the connection to this character's name in the original novel.
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Illustrated:
1) and listed in Genji‘s World in Japanese Woodblock Prints by Andreas Marks, page 138.
2) in color in Catalogue of Japanese Art in the Náprstek Museum published by The International Research Center for Japanese Studies: Nichibunken Japanese Studies Series 4, 1994, p. 11. Both images are shown here.
3) in color reproduction in Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 by Andreas Marks, Tuttle Publishing, 2010, page 305. Marks shows the full diptych.
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There is also another copy of this print in the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden.
Genji related prints (Genji-e - 源氏絵) (genre)
Sakanaya Eikichi (魚屋栄吉) (publisher)
Yokokawa Takejirō (横川彫武) (carver)
beautiful woman picture (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)