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Fire Sign of Jealousy (Yakimochi no hishô): Woman Wiping Her Face with a Towel, from an untitled series of women for the signs of the Five Elements


美人見立五行 「やきもちの火性」
Utagawa Toyokuni I (Japanese, 1769–1825)
Publisher: Yamaguchiya Tôbei (Kinkôdô) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
about 1818–25 (Bunsei 1–8)

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 39 x 26.4 cm (15 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.13675
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

DescriptionThe Five Elements (gogyô) are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. There appear to be two similar series of five prints each, one with a title cartouche in the shape of an upright fan, and one with the title cartouche in the shape of a diagonally tilted fan. MFA prints in the two series:
Upright fan: 11.15681 (Wood), 11.15682 (Metal), 11.15742 (Earth)
Tilted fan: 11.13577 (Metal), 11.13675 (Fire), 11.15680 (Wood), 11.15743 (Water)
Signed Toyokuni ga
豊国画
Marks Censor's seal: kiwame
改印:極
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.