Kuniyoshi 国芳: Shizuka Gozen On Mount Yoshino in Snow (Sold)

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Title: Lingering snow on Mount Yoshino (Yoshino-san bosetsu, 吉野山暮雪)

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

Date: 1842-43

We see Shizuka-gozen, the wind whipping her straw raincoat and kimono, walking what seems to be barefooted through an empty winter landscape. She holds on to her traveling hat with both hands, her traveling stick still in her right hand. We still feel the strength and determination of the petite figure, a testament to Kuniyoshi’s amazing skills. Shizuka Gozen is a featured character in the “Tale of the Heike”, which recounts the exploits of the warring clans of the in the 12th century. Here she has said her last farewell to Yoshitsune, who has fled Kyoto at the end of the Genpei war. She is pregnant with Yoshitsune’s child at this point and presents a very sympathetic figure. The snow at bottom has colorants that include a lead-containing pigment, which oxidizes from white to this dark grey.

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.

Condition: Excellent impression and color. Good condition. Trimming, especially at top.  Dimensions: 35 x 11.2 cm Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô
Literature: Robinson S21.2. See Chazen Museum. 
Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY628