UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI. "Illustrated Abridged Biography of Koso" (Koso goichidai ryakuzu), 10 woodblock prints, 19th Century.

The complete set of 10 woodblock prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797/98-1861), published 1835-36 by Iseya Rihei (Kinjudo).
Horizontal oban, each circa: 25,3 x 36,8 cm.
Mounted together as continuous scroll.

The individual titles as follows;
1. "Nichiren converting the spirit of a cormorant fisherman on the Isawa River in Kai Province" (Kai Isawagawa ugai bokon).
2. "Komatsu Moor in Tojo on December second", 1264 (Bun'ei moto juichi gatsu juichi nichi toijo Komatsuhara).
3. "The star of wisdom descends on the thirteenth night of the ninth month" (Kugatsu jusan yoru I chiboshikou).
4. "The prayer for rain on the promontory of Reisan in Kamakura in 1271" (Bun'ei hachi Kamakura Ryozen ga saki ame no inochi).
5. "At Komuroyama on July 4, 1274" (Bun’ei juichi go gatsu nijuhachi nichi Komuroyama chushi ishi).
6. "Apparition of the seven-faced god at Minobu Mountain in September of 1277" (Kenji sannen kugatsu Minobuzan shichimen kami jigen).
7. "The defeat of Mongol army in 1281 as prophesied by Nichiren" (Koan yonnen kojo rieki mo).
8. "At Execution Ground of Tatsunokuchi in Sagami Province" (Soshu Tatsunokuchi gonan).
9. "On the waves at Kakuda on the way to Sado" (Sashu ryukei Kakuda nami o me).
10. "Tsukahara in Sado Province in the Snow" (Sashu Tsukahara setchu).

PROVENANCE:
From a Swedish private collection.

LITERATURE:
Robinson, William; "Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints", New York 1982. S.6.1-S.6-10.
Schaap, Robert; "Heroes and Ghosts. Japanese Prints by Kuniyoshi", Leiden 1998; 17.1-17.10.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He was a member of the Utagawa school.
The range of Kuniyoshi's subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals. He is known for depictions of the battles of legendary samurai heroes. His artwork incorporated aspects of Western representation in landscape painting and caricature.
Nichiren, also known as Koso, was a Buddhist priest who lived from 1222 to 1282. He has had various miracles attributed to him and founded the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, of which Kuniyoshi was an adherent.

All mounted together as a continuous scroll, backed with thin paper (with calligraphy on verso). Each woodblock print with creases, rolling folds. Colours very fresh and unusually well preserved. Please contact elisabet.fellbom@auktionsverket.se for more information.