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「かつしかさくらつくし 西行さくら」
The famed monk-poet Saigyō, known for accounts of his many journeys, gazes at Mount Fuji in the distance. This motif became popular during the Edo period, perhaps attempting to link Saigyō’s experience with that of the poet Ariwara no Narihira, an example of which hangs nearby. One of a set of images of famous poets produced for the Katsushika poetry club, this print is a fine example of the use of embossing to add texture, creating striking patterns within the areas of white.
Saigyô Cherry (Saigyô sakura), from the series A Set of Cherries for the Katsushika Club (Katsushika sakura tsukushi)
「かつしかさくらつくし 西行さくら」
Yashima Gakutei (Japanese, 1786?–1868)
Japanese
Edo period
1830s
Medium/Technique
Woodblock print (surimono); ink, color, and metallic pigment on paper
Dimensions
Shikishiban; 21.5 x 18.6 cm (8 7/16 x 7 5/16 in.)
Credit Line
William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.21084
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAsia, Prints and Drawings
ClassificationsPrints
The famed monk-poet Saigyō, known for accounts of his many journeys, gazes at Mount Fuji in the distance. This motif became popular during the Edo period, perhaps attempting to link Saigyō’s experience with that of the poet Ariwara no Narihira, an example of which hangs nearby. One of a set of images of famous poets produced for the Katsushika poetry club, this print is a fine example of the use of embossing to add texture, creating striking patterns within the areas of white.
Catalogue Raisonné
Polster & Marks, Surimono (1980), p. 57; another print in the series: Rijksmuseum cat. III, Hokusai and His School (1982), #266
DescriptionPoems translated in Polster & Marks 1980, p. 55.
Signed
Gakutei
岳亭
岳亭
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.
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.