Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

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"One hundred poems by one hundred poets" - 
Hyakunin-isshu Emyo

 

last updated:

new pictures: 02/18/02

 

OVERVIEW

One of Kunisada´s large bijin series from which the first part has been designed around 1844/45 when Kunisada changed his name to Toyokuni. 
After poet no. 37, except no. 47, Kunisada changed the design and the rest of the series has no longer a series title.
Andrew Kowalczuk found two prints (no. 78 and no. 93) which shows the earlier design and a higher poet number than no. 47, so that the respective poet is represented by two images.
In 2006 Yorie from artelino.com first poitned out, that the number in the cartouche states no. 85, however,  the portrait on the right page depicts Saigyo Hoshi and his poem which would normally be no. 86 in the traditional order of the poets.
In 2009 Meredith Hudman from the San Antonio Museum of Art investigated the complete series and she found out that on a total of 21 prints the print respectivly the poet numbers vary from the traditional order (from oldest (7th century) to 'newest' (13th century)). She presents the following list: [first number is the print/poet number in this series, second number is the one in the traditional order] 30/31; 31/32; 32/33; 33/34; 34/35; 35/36; 36/37; 37/30; 47/49; 48/47; 49/48; 80/81; 81/82; 82/83; 83/84; 84/85; 85/86; 86/87; 87/88; 88/89; 89/80.

Many thanks to all! And especially to Jeff Hopewell who offered many informations in 2013 and corrected in 3/2018 some mistakes with the signatures. He also wrote, that he find out, that the „prints 59 to 100 seem to be based on the book covers and illustrations of the Nise Murasaki inaka Genji, which Kunisada produced from 1829 to 1842.“ (Jeff’s list is added as apendix to part two of the prints.)

 

You can find the text of the "hundred poems" and an English translation at:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/hyakunin/index.html
 

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references

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) - series and prints