Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) Heroes for the Eight Views: Kiyomori Nyudo Jokai, 1848. Oban.
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This lavish historic portrait with finely embroidered robes and regal bearing, is of Kiyomori Nyudo Jokai… feared and fearful Taira clan chief also known as Taira Kiyomori. Kiyomori was a ruthless and ambitious man and the eventual loser in the great power struggles that helped to establish the Japanese dynasties for years to come. He is usually pictured by Edo artists as a symbol of remorse and guilt, most famously by Hiroshige, Chikanobu and Yoshitoshi in the garden of his palace at the end of his life contemplating the snowy shapes of the landscape and seeing the skulls of his enemies and victims in every hillock and snowdrift. There is a fine Yoshitoshi portrait of him in hell being taunted by his many victims.
In this series by Kuniyoshi, parallels are drawn between great historic figures and the seminal Eight Views. The eight views are confusing to the western viewer; originally a Chinese concept, the views were a catalogue of beautiful scenes in the Xiaoxiang region of China from the Song dynasty around the eleventh century. The views were traditionally associated with deeper themes of exile and enlightenment, history and Taoism. The Japanese co-opted the idea and produced poetry and prints celebrating similar themes with associated titles but set in Japan rather than the native China. The original eight Japanese subtitles from 1090 remain as follows:
Wild Geese Descend, Sailboat(s) Returning Home, Clearing Mist, Sunset Snow, The Autumn Moon, Night Rain, Evening Bell, Evening Glow.
Kuniyoshi has chosen Evening Glow at Hyogo to go with the Taira General. One story of his arrogance describes how he commanded the sun with his fan to stay in the sky so that construction could continue at Itsukushima Shrine, which he had commissioned. It is easy for us even at this distance to see the link between the famous Buddhist view of the evening sun and its inevitable descent and the vainglory of the Taira chief.
A beautiful print, a desirable Kuniyoshi, with excellent printing and block cutting. In very good condition excepting surface marks and wear to the lower left, which is scuffed with surface marks. Colour and impression are fine. Unbacked. A good example of this print is in the British Museum, London.
Published by Tsujikawa.
36 x 24.5 cm.
