Help appreciated in identifying this print

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Help appreciated in identifying this print

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David Alston

  • manuD

    It is probably a print by Kunisada or Kunisada II showing a sumo wrestler, but the names of the artist and wrestler are impossible to read on this small image

    • David Alston

      Thanks very much for this steer. My search had narrowed down to Kuniaki II and from  there to Kunisada or indeed Kunisada II as you suggest .I'll try posting details of what I assume to be the name of the wrestler top left and the artist publisher and censor  stamp bottom right. I'll carry on looking for a match but if you have access to a site which has comparator material please point me in that direction.

  • David Alston

    Thanks very much for this steer. My search had narrowed down to Kuniaki II and from  there to Kunisada or indeed Kunisada II as you suggest .I'll try posting details of what I assume to be the name of the wrestler top left and the artist publisher and censor  stamp bottom right. I'll carry on looking for a match but if you have access to a site which has comparator material please point me in that direction.

  • manuD

    The signature is that of Kunisada II (see Alec Wood's site : www.ukiyoesig.net)

    The wrestler is Onogawa Saisuke (小野川 才助)

    he has a wikipedia page (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onogawa_Kisaburō)

    久留米 means Kurume, not sure what this refers to.

    The is another print of him by Kunisada II dated 1861 (www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/sumo-wrestler-kunisada-japanese-129704835)

    The publisher (seal on left of signature) is Daikokuya Heikichi

    Carver Yokokawa Takejirō (彫竹, see woodblockprints.org/index.php/Detail/entities/378)

     

    • David Alston

      I'd love to reply but am getting a repeated error message 400 from the servers?  I'll try again but please follow up directly with me  via email?

      davidialston@hotmail.com

      • Posted on behalf:

        Dear ManuD, Terrific additional info. Many thanks. I'll try and post clearer image of censor's date stamp. This presumably will help date the impression or demonstrate a later printing...post  Kunisada II's lifetime  and  continuing studio? The woodblock exhibits an attractive gaufrage effect   possibly

         

        Nunome zuri ..."Literally, "fabric printing"; another embossed printing effect. Produced by hard pressure on a piece of muslin or silk fabric wrapped around an un-inked block, with the print dampened, leaving the pattern of the fabric embossed into the paper."

         

        And I'll attempt to up load an additional image that shows this along with the censor's stamp

         

        Best

         

        D

  • manuD

    The Wikipedia page in Japanese states that Saisuke became a retainer of the Kurume clan (Settsu Arima family)

  • manuD

    The top row of the seal reads cock 3, third month of the year of the cock, 1861, which matches the presumed date of the wrestler's other print.

    the bottom reads aratame (censor)

    • David Alston

      Many thanks  ManuD for all the help with identifying  this work. I now have been able to catalogue it thoroughly. It is in a private collection of prints and works on paper on long term loan to Museums Sheffield. Your help and the service this site provides  is greatly appreciated. Arigato 感謝 D.

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