Chikanobu: Fukujuso; Women Buying Adonis Plant at a Night Market

Artist: Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912)
Title: Fukujuso (Pheasant’s Eye, or Adonis Plant) 福寿草

Series: Fuku Zukushi. “Customs of the East: A Collection of Fuku Words” 

東風俗福つくし  Date: 1889

Fukujuso is also known as an adonis flower, and its name also means fortune-longevity-plant; its deep yellow hue also suggests the wealth of gold. Here we see two women visiting a night  market in winter, shopping for their New Year’s decorations. They are at the stand of a plant seller, and the woman at right is pointing towards the potted adonis flower that the vendor is holding in his left hand. This plant is traditionally considered auspicious to display in the New Year, so we see a number of the flowers in a variety of pots on display. To the right we see what look like miniature plum trees for sale. The woman at right wears a fringed shawl over her kimono, and we see an oil lamp burning at each stand. This series features many interesting details of life in the Meiji era, including the changes in dress and decor. 

This amusing series elaborates on words containing the sound “Fuku”; here we also see “Huku Giusoii{u}” in Romaji.  Fuku (huku) also means blessings, or good fortune. 

Chikanobu is one of the few ukiyo-e artists to be the eldest son of a samurai family. He was a retainer of the Sakakibara clan of the Takada Domain. He studied first with Kuniyoshi, and then with Kunisada, and then with Kunichika. In 1868 Chikanobu actually participated in the Battle of Ueno during the Boshin War as a samurai of his domain. He resumed his career as an ukiyo-e artist around 1875. 

Condition: Very good impression and condition. Excellent color.  Dimensions: ôban (35.5 x 24 cm)
Publisher: Takegawa Unokichi
Signature: Yôshû Chikanobu-hitsu with his toshidama seal in red

SKU: CHK078