Kunisada: Magician of Power Môun koku-shi and Exploding Rocks 蒙雲国師 (SOLD)
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada 歌川国貞 (1786-1865)
Title: Magician of Power Môun koku-shi 蒙雲国師
Series: Competition of the art of magic done by Toyokuni (Toyokuni kigô kijutsu kurabe)
Date: 1863, 5th month 改丑五
The actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as the magician Moun Kokushi. His expression of total concentration is emphasized by the explosion emanating from by behind his head, where even the earth element is exploding. He holds a Vajrayana bell in his right hand, and his left he forms a mudra of power with two upturned fingers. From the fingers emanate a cloud of grey-blue smoke. In front of him is placed a footed container holding a white substance, which must be salt. There is blindprinting in his beard, in the salt, on his sleeves, and the print has every luxurious element of printing imaginable. The best (and quite scarce) design in this excellent series.
The subject is from the Kabuki drama “Chin-setsu yumi-hari zuki” 椿説弓張月:the story is focused on Minamoto no Tametomo 源為朝(1139-1170) in Kyûshû (once it was called “Chinzei鎮西”), who saved the kingdom of Ryûkyû 琉球, (present-day Okinawa).
Tametomo, alias Chinzei Hachirô,鎮西八郎, who was known as a brave warrior with mastery of archery, was sent exile to Amami-Ôshima奄美大島, having lost the battle of Hôgen (1156) 保元の乱. He managed to escape from Ôshima, but due to a rainstorm, he drifted and landed on the Ryûkyû island.
In Ryûkyû it was the time of Shônei Emperor 尚寧王 and Princess Nei-wannyo寧王女 (his successor), when they were in danger of losing power. Tametomo gathered the remaining power of the king and fought for him. However, his power was not strong enough to defeat the supernatural powers of Môun-kokushi, for instance.
Then Tanetomo married Princess Nei-wannyo, who possessed a supernatural spirit of Shiranui-hime. Their son, Shunten-maru 舜天丸, was a prodigy and eventually gained victory. Shuten-maru then became Shuten Emperor 舜天王and Ryûkyû was saved.
This print shows the sudden appearance of Môun-kokushi, an evil monk, coming out with powerful explosion of rocks. It is said that he was originally a snake which transformed to a human.
(A white mountain on the footed container in front of Môun-kokushi should be salt, which is considered to have the power of Kekkai 結界, the boundaries for religious practice, protecting outer disturbing interferences.)
During 1807-11 Kyokutei Bakin 曲亭馬琴wrote the original story and published “Chinzei Hachirô Tametomo gaiden: Chinsetsu yumi-hari zuki” 鎮西八郎為朝外伝 鎮説弓張月, and was published as a book with Hokusai’s illustrations in 5 volumes (in 29 books). With thanks to Michiko Sato-Grube for her research.
Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Untrimmed and unbacked. Mint.
Literature: This exact print is shown full page in the Taschen book wherein Andreas Marks selects two hundred masterpieces of ukiyo-e. Andreas Marks, “Japanese Woodblock Prints in 200 Masterpieces; From Ukiyo-e to Shin Hanga. page 492, number 159.
Dimensions: ôban (38 x 25.9 cm) Publisher: Hirano-ya Shinzo
Signature: nanajû kyu sai Toyokuni hitsu (brush of Toyokuni at 79 years old)
SKU: KUC364S