Kuniyoshi: Wang Bao During a Lightning Storm (SOLD)

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Title: Wang Bao During a Lightning Storm
Series: Mirror of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety (Nijûshi-kô dôji kagami)
Date: 1840

Ôho (Wang Bao) flees left, his Buddhist beads flying in the air as lightning strikes an ancient tree nearby. As the legend goes, he would rush to visit his mother’s grave during lightning storms to comfort her spirit, as she had feared these storms during her lifetime. Kuniyoshi’s stylized depiction of lightning is very interesting, the yellow angles slicing across the design. This series shows very strongly the influence of Western prints, which Kuniyoshi collected and kept in a treasure box for study. It probably lends itself to unusual (western) artistic elements because the series deals with events taking place in a foreign land. One of the better designs in this series.

Condition: Very good impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban 25.4 x 36.9 cm
Publisher: Wakasa-ya Yoichi
Literature: Robinson S13.14.
Seal: censor’s seals:
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga

SKU: KUY496