No. 13, Kokonoe, from the series An Excellent Selection of Thirty-six Noted Courtesans (Meigi sanjûroku kasen)

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DEACESSIONED June 20, 2019

No. 13, Kokonoe, from the series An Excellent Selection of Thirty-six Noted Courtesans (Meigi sanjûroku kasen)

「名妓三十六佳撰　九重の話　十三」

Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786–1864)
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizô (Kôeidô) (Japanese)

Japanese

Edo period

1860 (Ansei 7/Man'en 1), 12th month

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

Dimensions Vertical ôban; 34.5 x 24 cm (13 9/16 x 9 7/16 in.)

Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection

Accession Number11.45306

CollectionsAsia, Prints and Drawings

ClassificationsPrints

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

DescriptionMFA impressions: 11.42809, *11.45306 (deaccessioned in 2019)

Signed Ôju Toyokuni ga, in toshidama cartouche
応需豊国画(年玉枠)

Marks Censor's seal: Monkey 12 aratame
No blockcutter's mark
改印：申十二改
彫師：なし

Inscriptions九重の話

ある武家に　うばづとめ　せしころ　わが
あずかりの　おさなご　人のこに　けがさせしに
そのこ　はてたるにぞ　つゐに　おふやけざた　と
なりけるが　こは　もと　うばの　おちどなれば
みを　かはたけへしずめて　つみを　あがなへ
かし　とて　ことすみたれば　しりぞくとき

　はてしなき　　　　　　　　　　ながれの　みずを
　　　うきよの　すえに　　　　　　　　　　いつまでぞ　
　　　　　　　　　　　すみだ川　　　　　　　　　　　くむ

かくよみたるは　あはれなり

　三亭春馬　記
　　　　栄中　書

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.