An oban tate-e print on paper, with colours

Printed circa 1850

Title: Poem by Sosei Hôshi, from the series 'One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets (hyakunin issue no chi)

34cm high x 24cm large with our frame

54cm high x 39.4cm wide

>> Small chip to the lower right of the frame

Provenance: Purchased from the Art Source Gallery in Dubai

About the artist:

Kuniyoshi was born Yoshisaburo and like Kunisada was apprenticed to the great woodblock artist Toyokuni I at his Utagawa School 1811. Kuniyoshi showed prodigious talent but unlike his colleague Kunisada failed to find commissions and it was not until the late1820’s that he discovered his own style and overnight success with the release of his series of warrior prints T?szoku Suikoden g?ketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori - The 108 Heroes of the Popular Suikoden (1827). The novelty of these extraordinary, richly embellished and colourful single sheet prints made him successful and went on to heavily influence Japanese fashion and culture.

Kuniyoshi is a highly collectible artist despite his prodigious output. Early warrior prints of Suikoden heroes are especially valuable as are the mythological triptychs of the 1820’s and 1830’s. His vision extended to defining the image of the famous heroes known as the 47 Ronin in his great series Portraits of Samurai of True Loyalty of 1852. He also produced very many fine portraits of women and the occasional landscapes which show the considerable influence of western painting.