Lot 18
Lot 18
Picture of The Sea Bed at Daimotsu Bay

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)

Price Realised GBP 2,750
Estimate
GBP 1,500 - GBP 2,000
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Picture of The Sea Bed at Daimotsu Bay

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)

Price Realised GBP 2,750
Price Realised GBP 2,750
Details
A PRIVATE ENGLISH COLLECTION OF PRINTS BY UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)
Daimotsu-no-ura kaitei no zu [Picture of The Sea Bed at Daimotsu Bay]

Woodblock print, signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, artist's seal yoshikiri, published by Fujiokaya Keijiro, circa 1851-52
Vertical oban triptych (each sheet approx. 38.1 x 25.3cm.)
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Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.
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Lot Essay

This work shows the ghosts of the great Taira General Tomomori (1152-85) (far right) and his slain loyal retainers. Diagonal across the entire triptych is a large barnacle-encrusted anchor to which Tomomori tied himself before jumping into the sea at Daimotsu bay upon defeat by the Minamoto fleet in 1185. A group of crabs march off to the left to attack Yoshitsune's ship.

See lot 9 for an alternative depiction of the same episode.

Further impressions of this print are in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (see www.mfa.org accession numbers 11.30560, 11.30561, 11.30562) and the British Museum (see www.britishmuseum.org museum number 2008,3037.20104).


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