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A COURTESAN AS THE GOD OF WRITING (MIZUKUKI NO KAMI)
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YANAGAWA SHIGENOBU I
(1787 - 1832)
A COURTESAN AS THE GOD OF WRITING (MIZUKUKI NO KAMI), ca. 1822

Colour woodblock print, shikishiban surimono, signed Tôto Yanagawa Shigenobu. Very good impression with karazuri (empty printing) tsuyazumi (gloss black) and mineral powder. Good condition; 197 x 177 mm.

The subject, here associated with the New Year celebrations by the presence of the pine twig, is identical to that which appears in one print of the celebrated series by Shigenobu Costume Parade of the Shinmachi Quarter in Osaka (Ôsaka Shinmachi nerimono).

 

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Price: 1.100,00 €

Shigenobu was a pupil of Hokusai, whose daughter he married, subsequently becoming adopted into the family. After marital problems forced a separation, however, he returned to his own family. He was active in Edo from the Bunka period (1804-1818) onward. His Osaka period dated from 1822 to 1825. More prolific as a designer of surimono, illustrated books and illustrations for novels than single-sheet prints or paintings, he was very influential on Ukiyo-e circles in the Osaka-Kyoto area. Shigenobu designed approximately thirty fine surimono, mainly for the Tsuru-ren (Crane group) leaded by Tsurunoya, with blocks cut and printed by Seikô