Yoshitoshi: Taira no Tadanori Waits for His Lover 平 忠度 (SOLD)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
Title: Taira no Tadanori Waits for His Lover 平 忠度 
Series: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon月百姿
Date: 1890

We see the famous warrior/poet Taira no Tadanori waiting with great impatience outside the home of his his lover as he waits in vain for her guest to depart so that they may be together. The poem reads: How noisy, the sound of insects calling in the meadow; as for me, I make no sound but think of love”. Tadanori’s mistress is unseen, but he is noisily opening and closing his fan to draw her attention. Stevenson notes rather wryly that the young man probably has more than erect hat. The black areas on the print have been printed with the lacquer-imitating effect, and Tadanori wears robes with sophisticated, contrasting designs. There is blindprinting in the white tilte cartouche. 

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. 
Dimensions: ôban (35.6 x 24 cm)
Publisher: Akiyama Buemon
Signature: Yoshitoshi with his seal

Literature: John Stevenson, Yoshitoshi’s One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (San Francisco: San Francisco Graphic Society, 1992), no. 86. See British Museum, Library of Congress, Yale University Art Gallery collections.

SKU: YOT861