Kitao Masanobu: Beauty Playing with Cat (Reserved)

Artist: Kitao Masanobu　北野政演 (1761-1816)

Title: A beauty plays with her cat  Date: ca. 1780s

A young beauty is looking down and playing with a cat, dangling her scent pouch from her sleeve, her foot peeping out. The cat is circling around her in excitement. It is late spring, as we see blooming wisteria hanging down from a suspended bamboo planter. Next to her on a single screen, plum branches and the name “Takada Shinkai 高田新開“ are drawn. Kitao Masanobu was the artist’s name for the famous author Santo Kyoden, who was a student of Shigemasa and a well-known Yoshiwara regular. He eventually gave up print designing to dedicate himself to a literary career. (Note that the signature on this work is very difficult to read, and it is possible that this work was designed by another artist who was a pupil of Kitao Shigemasa.)

On the top, the writing can be read: “Ana no kai: あなの開

Kono湖野　Koji/Furuji古路　Sejô瀬浄　Kitsui木つ井　Utsusaうつさ

Sensei先生　Furyôkenふりょうけん”

Our translator has kindly gone out on something of a limb to give this artwork some context: “ana あな” has a meaning of a hiding place and could refer to a mistress, according to a Dictionary for Edo Language. “kai 開” can be read “tsubi つび” , used as secret language, meaning sexual intercourse as well as “a club会” using other character with the same phonetics.  Therefore, the names followed can be interpreted as the names of courtesans. At the end “Sensei” meaning a teacher, and “furyôken 不料簡”, meaning indiscretion or naughty.

Dimensions: 31.7 x 14.4 cm (hosoban)

Condition: Very good impression, color and condition for a work of this age. With hinging remnants, verso, that show through somewhat to recto. 

Signed: Kitano Masanobu ga 北野政演画  (probable)

Sealed: With a red Japanese collector's seal, (Koshikawa?) verso. 

SKU: MAY014