Toyohara Chikanobu (1838 - 1912) Chiyoda no-on omote (Events Outside the Chiyoda Castle): Tokugawa Shogun's Ship at Okawasuji, 1897. Oban triptych.
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This impressive triptych is one of many produced by Chikanobu at the end of the nineteenth century that revive memories of the life of the court at the Chiyoda Palace in the days of the old Tokugawa Shogunate, before the Meiji revolution of 1864, before the crumbling away of the older Edo values and the headlong modernisation of Japan under the new monarchy.
Chikanobu produced several different series of exquisite triptychs, made to the highest standards, of life in and around the Chiyoda Palace in Edo (Tokyo). The Palace itself, also known as Edo Castle, was built in 1457 by the warrior Edo Shigetsugu, in what is now the Honmaru and Ninomaru part of the Castle. It later became the seat of the old Tokugawa shogunate who completed it in 1636. Chikanobu made a series of the inner castle, which was the ladies' quarters, imagining the traditional pastimes of women; and a second series in 1897, from which this is a taken, of masculine pursuits such as boys' festivals and visits by noblemen.
This print shows the extraordinary river craft of the shogun on the Okawa River north of Osaka. The shogun is the figure seated on the upper deck, the awning decorated with the hollyhock insignia of the ruling Tokugawa family. Aside from the splendid depiction of the boat, the incidental detail of the net fishermen in the left hand sheet is really exceptional.
The print is a bold masterpiece of woodblock printing… barely imaginable is the fact that this was produced from hard wooden blocks cut by hand made chisels. The delicacy of the inking and the carving is outstanding. The print shimmers with subtle light, offset by the magnificent boldness of the great orange boat. The print is full size, unbacked and with some toning as is usual. Colour, impression are all fine. Condition is very good.
A copy of this print is in the Metropolitan Museum New York.
73cm x 26cm.
