Akechi-dera on Mount Myôjô, No. 9 of the Chichibu Pilgrimage Route (Chichibu junrei kyûban Myôjôzan Akechi-dera), from the series Miracles of Kannon (Kannon reigenki)

「観音霊験記　秩父巡礼　九番　明星山　（みょうじょうざん）　明智寺　（あけちでら）」

Utagawa Kunisada II (Kunimasa III, Toyokuni IV) (Japanese, 1823–1880)
Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) (Japanese, 1826–1869)
Publisher: Yamadaya Shôjirô (Japanese)

Japanese

Edo period

1859 (Ansei 6), 5th month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

Dimensions Vertical ôban; 34.8 x 24.3 cm (13 11/16 x 9 9/16 in.)

Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection

Accession Number11.42626

NOT ON VIEW

CollectionsAsia, Prints and Drawings

ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné C's Ukiyo-e Museum, http://homepage2.nifty.com/ukiyo-e/index.html

DescriptionThe story of Yokose no Hyôe.
横瀬の兵衛

Signed Kunisada ga, in toshidama cartouche (below); Hiroshige ga (above)
国貞画(年玉枠)、広重画

Marks Censor's seal: Goat 5 aratame
No blockcutter's mark
改印：未五改
彫師：なし

Inscriptions秩父順礼第九番　明星山明智寺

めぐり来てその名を聞バあけち寺
　こゝろの月は曇らざるらん

奉額　ひくらしやたゞさへ急ぐ道ながら

横瀬の兵衛

天正の頃横瀬の里に兵衛といふ稚者あり／家貧きなかに盲の母一人をもち養ふべき／業もなくて此寺の林に来て菓を拾ひて／糧とせしに一日兵衛が菓を拾ひ居たる／所へ老僧きたりて母の病ひを愈さんと／思ハゞ此妙文を唱へさせよ則ち無垢／清浄光恵日破諸闇の二句を授け／けれバ兵衛ありがたく思ひてその文を母に／教へてその日この観音堂に通夜をいたしけるに／暁にいたりて内陣より明々たる星とび出て／母の頂を照すがいなや眼たちところにひらき／母子とも驚きかつ喜びて本尊を厚く拝ミツゝ／皈るがはやくこのこと／諸人にしれ領主より／兵衛が孝心を感じて／田畠を賜ハりまた此本尊の／利益を末世に／しらしめんと其時／より明星／山と／名づけ／られ／たるハ／不思議の／霊験／なり

万亭応賀誌

＊（二代広重画）（二代国貞画）＊安政六年未五月（1859）

ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)

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.