Yoshitoshi: Snow: Iwakura no Sôgen played by Onoe Baikô (Sold)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Title: Snow: Iwakura no Sôgen played by Onoe Baikô
Series: Snow, moon and flowers: Setsu Gekka no uchi
Date: 1890/8 (Meiji 23)

Sôgen has been expelled from his temple after falling in love with the beautiful courtesan Irokotohime. Death has claimed her, so he is left with nothing but her memory. Sôgen/Seigen is a tragic figure who eventually starves to death. This is one of Yoshitoshi’s works in his final years, when he was stricken with poverty and illness, yet his power of design is stronger than ever.

This is one of a series of three showing half-length portraits of actors. Onoe Baikô V played the role of Sôgen in the play Hanafubuki, a fact that is mentioned on the second state of this triptych.

Condition: Excellent impression; very good color and condition. Some trimming of sheets on bottom and right; there is no white margin on top.
Dimensions: ôban triptych
Publisher: Akiyama Buemon
Literature: Beauty & Violence p.90.
Seal: carver’s: Hori-Yû
Signature: Yoshitoshi ga with “Yoshitoshi” oval seal in red

SKU: YOT365