Japanese Print Description
Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), (1786-1865)
Fun’ya no Yasuhide
Fashionable Parodies of the Immortal Poets: Fun’ya no Yasuhide
(Furyu Mitate-e Rokkasen: Fun’ya no Yasuhide)
signed Kunisada aratame (changing his name to) nidai (the second) Toyokuni ga,
publisher’s mark of Fujioka-ya Hikotaro (Shogendo),
censor’s seal Fu (Fukatsu Ihei),
ca. 1844
chuban tate-e 9 5/8 by 6 3/4 in., Very good impression and colors. A few spots and torn top and left upper corner.
In the introduction to the 9th century poetry anthology, the Kokin Wakushu (ca. 905), six earlier waka poets were identified as important and notable. This grouping of six became known as the Rokkasen (Six Immortal Poets).This series is a mitate-e (parody) of the Rokkasen poets. The Rokkasen poet, Fun’ya no Yasuhide (dates unknown) is depicted in the round cartouche, The poem, signed Sho-?-en, is likely by a contemporary of Kunisada. The first line, fumi yome ha, seems to be a play on the name of Fun’ya (or Bun’ya).
Fumi yome ha
kokoro no nishiki
sohara keri
koreya yoki
koromo kishi to
ihamashi
Reading this letter
enriches my mind
just like
wearing good cloth
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.