Kuniyoshi 国芳: The Haiku Poetess Kaga no Chiyo and Alighting Geese

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Title: Geese Alighting at Kanazawa (Kanazawa no rakugan, 金沢落雁)

Series: Virtuous Women for the Eight Views (Kenjo hakkei, 賢女八景) Date: 1842-43

It is autumn, and we see the poetess Kaga no Chiyo looking skyward as she sweeps fallen autumn leaves; she looks up to see lines of geese heading south for the winter. There seem to be persimmons on the tree at top. Robinson has translated the poem as: “O the first wild goose!/ The chrysanthemums arranged–/ Something has been stolen.”

The Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers developed in 11th c. China as a formalized series of landscape paintings; the concept was imported by the Japanese in numerous landscape series. Here, the eight views are compared with virtuous women from Japanese legends and history. Kaga no Chiyo lived in the Edo period (1703-1775) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of haiku poetry. She was also something of a trailblazer for women, opening a path for other women to follow. It is very unusual to see women portrayed as virtuous or heroic in ukiyo-e prints who have earned accolades from their own talents; in general women were celebrated for supporting a man or sacrificing themselves for a husband, son, or father. 

Condition: Excellent impression and color. Good condition. Trimming at top and crease along left edge.  Dimensions: 35 x 12  cm
Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô
Literature:  Robinson 1982 S21.8;  Bidwell 1968, no. 87; Riccar (1978) 160. See British Museum.  Signature: Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY624