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Station 40: Chiryu
Kunisada I (Toyokuni III), 1855, Wood cut
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of 36
Station 40: Chiryu
Station 40: Chiryu
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Item no
16287
Title
Fifty-three stations by two brushes (Sohitsu gojusantsugi). Station 40: Chiryu
Description
The figures in this print are Ariwara no Narihira and his young attendant. Narihira was a 9th century aristocratic poet whose passionate exploits provided the model for the romantic hero in the literary classic, 'The Tales of Ise' (Ise monogatari). Narihira is shown wearing a court hat (eboshi) and a lilac kimono with a flowing blue river design patterned with dark purple, white and blue roundels. From one wide sleeve a white folding fan is visible. The young attendant that crouches at Narihira's side wears a green sleeveless tunic over a red kimono. The box in the attendant's hands refers to Narihira's talent for writing poetry and may contain poetry slips.
In the background inset, Hiroshige depicts a path that zig-zags through the fields. In Hiroshige's Hoeido Tokaido print, the viewer is presented with an image of fields of horses.
Chiryu was the famous site (meisho) of the Eight Bridges or 'Yatsuhashi' that were given poetic treatment in 'The Tales of Ise'.
The character of Narihira is made the subject of the 'Chiryu' print edition in the series 'Tokaido Pairs' or 'Fifty-three parallels of the Tokaido' (Tokaido gojusantsugi). 'Tokaido Pairs' was a collaborative work produced by Hiroshige, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi that was published in the mid 1840s by Ibasen, Ibakiu and others. Narihira also appears in the 'Chiryu' edition of Kunisada's series of Tokaido diptychs that were published in 1852 by Iseya and others.
Artist / maker
Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)
Engraver
Hori Take (Yokogawa Takejiro)
Date
1855
Size
36 x 24.8 cm
Type
Wood cut
Location
Art and Design Library
Further artist information:
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)
Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III, 1786-1865)
Signed:
Hiroshige ga (landscape)
Toyokuni ga (figures)
Censorship seal: Aratame
Further date information:
April 1855, (Rabbit year, 4th month)
The subject matter of the 'Fifty-three stations by two brushes' series drew upon the popularity of Hiroshige's celebrated series 'Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido Road' (Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi); the earliest editions of which were produced between 1832 and 1834.
Both Kunisada and Hiroshige were pupils of the Utagawa School and collaborated together in order to produce a commercial hit with their 'Fifty-three stations by two brushes'. The series demonstrates Hiroshige's distinction as a landscape artist and Kunisada'a skill as a figurative artist. This series comprises of fifty-six designs (including the title page). Although there were fifty-three post stations, artists traditionally include Nihonbashi (where the Tokaido began) and Kyoto (the road's terminus). The late Edo-period audience who would have collected these lavish prints were able to make connections between the figures and the specific post stations along the Tokaido. Each character's relationship to a locality relies upon subtle references to well known legends and kabuki theatre plots. Hiroshige's original Tokaido series are also referenced in these prints.
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