Kuniyoshi: Drawing of a Traveling Monk in Snow and a Warrior Striking a Pose
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Title: Original drawing of a Traveling Monk in Snow and a Warrior Striking a Pose for an Illustrated Novel (Gôkan) Date: ca 1830s-1840s
From a group of brush drawings created for illustrated novels ( 合巻 gokan). On the left we see a man in monk’s attire standing on a mountain, the wind catching his robes as he turns his head and waits for his attendant to fasten his footwear. The crouching man has a sweet expression and wears a kimono with a simple obi and holds the string to his shoe in his teeth in a charming touch. We may perhaps presume that this is Monk Saigyô (Saigyô Hôshi 西行法師 1118-1190). In the background we see mountains with a pagoda in the distance, which Kuniyoshi has effectively sketched in perfect outline using tiny, light strokes to indicate distance. This landscape could be the Kyoto area, for instance Yoshino, where the Monk Saigyô spent a great deal of time.
On the right page a warrior strikes a pose as if he is defending himself from some kind of attack; he kneels down, his left leg stretched towards the front. The left sleeve of his kimono has been shrugged off; his right hand he holds high in the air, as if he has just thrown something, or has issued a challenge.
It is difficult to see a direct connection between these two pages. But Monk Saigyô was born as Satō Norikiyo (佐藤義清) in Kyoto to a noble family, and lived during the traumatic transition of power between the old court nobles and the new samurai warriors. As a youth, he worked as a guard to the retired Emperor Toba, but in 1140 at age 22, he quit worldly life to become a monk, leaving his wife and children and took the religious name En'i (円位). Sometime later he took the pen name Saigyō (西行), meaning "Western Journey", a reference to Amida Buddha and the Western paradise. He lived alone for long periods in his life in Saga, Mt. Koya, Mt. Yoshino, Ise etc.
The drawing is intended for a book page: the number that is written with brush on the top right seems to read thirty-six (sanjû-roku 卅六). The other writing is difficult to decipher. The handwritten “seal” on the right edge can be read: Hisa 久 under double mountain, which is entered as unknown in Ukiyoe Encyclopedia p.145.
Gokan (illustrated novels) were the main vehicle of Japanese fiction in terms of quantity throughout the 19th century, and due to their popularity about 40 or 50 new titles a year were produced from about 1807 to 1867. Gokan were the most elaborate of the kusazoshi, “grass books”, which included serial productions for works that included the blockbuster Inaka Genji. All kusazoshi used smaller sizes of paper, and the illustrations were a critical part of their composition and appeal. As almost all kusazoshi were produced in Edo, we could see why Kuniyoshi would be a favorite of publishers and authors, as his imagination was without limit and he could produce lively narrative illustrations in a way that knew no equal. We can appreciate the mastery of his brush even in this small format, with almost every aspect of each figure coming out fully formed and posed perfectly, with no corrections. Interestingly, text and illustrations shared each page, with the illustration drawn first and then the dialogue/narration was added to fill up the blank space. We can see here how there is quite a bit of blank space around the figures. Provenance: Samuel Tuke
Condition: The original drawing has been lightly affixed to a thin sheet of Japanese paper for stability. All drawings are unique and condition issues must be accepted “as is”. This one has some staining and rubbing.
Dimensions: 17 x 24 cm
SKU: DRW508