Konishi Hirosada (ca 1810 - 1864) Chuko Junishi no Uchi (Loyalty
and Fidelty for the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac): Cock - Mimasu Daigorô IV as Sukune no Taro, c.1848. Deluxe Chuban.
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This fine print by the Osaka artist, Konishi Hirosada (ca 1810 - 1864), is a mitate…
a kind of puzzle picture. The puzzle here though is more serious than
mere entertainment. In the 1840’s in Japan, but especially in Osaka, a
crumbling and centuries old government was attempting to stay afloat by
imposing strict anti-decadence laws… sometimes referred to as the Tenpo
Reforms. These prohibited the depiction of actors or theatre subjects, a
genre that had been hitherto wildly popular among kabuki fans.
Artists and publishers attempted work-arounds by producing recognisable
prints of unnamed actors, often in imaginary roles or else in roles not
taken in real life. These prints were then issued under the guise of
approved subjects… moral tales, views of famous landmarks or as in this
case, the signs of the zodiac.
Deciphering these prints at such a
distance is quite a task. Osaka prints are less well known, were
produced (albeit to extraordinary quality) in small numbers and short
print runs and the school tends to be under-represented in the
literature. The portrait is that of the kabuki actor Mimasu Daigorô IV as Sukune no Taro from the play Sugawara denju tenari kagami. This great play is based on the life of Sugawara no Michizane (845~903), a renowned scholar who was promoted to close advisor of the Emperor. Falsely accused by Fujiwara no Shihei, of trying to hatch a plot to seize the power, Michizane was exiled to a remote island. After his death, the Emperor's residence was often struck by lightning thought to be invoked by Michizane's vengeful spirit. Sukune Taro is a conspirator loyal to Shihei, and determined to assassinate Michizane en route to exile. On being overheard plotting by his wife, he kills her and puts her body in a pond. The murder of Michizane is scheduled for cock-crow the following day, (hence the connection here to the zodiac sign). In the end, the plot is thwarted and on being discovered, Taro is himself killed by his aunt who is loyal to the exiled minister.
The Zodiac sign is, ‘Cock’ , seen in the calligraphy in top right, black cartouche. The cartouche to the upper left shows a palisade, presumably the compound where the action of the scene takes place. The game, if you like… then as now, is to connect all the elements to form the entire, allusive picture.
All of the prints in this series were found in a very battered concertina album of the period. In order to rescue the prints, remove them from the decaying acidic backing card and repair the wormholes, the complete album has had to be disassembled. The prints have been conserved and are in outstanding condition, aside from some repaired worm damage, principally to the plain margins. The complete deluxe set in this condition even with the marginal damage is very rare. Each print is exquisitely produced with deluxe embossing, double printing, mica and metallics… it is a masterpiece of the woodblock art. Aside from the worm damage the prints are all in very fine condition. The impressions and print quality are perfect, the condition is fine with no fading and and no discolouration. Since it was necessary to separate the prints from their backing etc we feel that the set may reasonably be sold individually or as a complete series.
This print has worm damage to the right hand margin and upper left cartouche. Offsetting marks to the face and background. Colour and impression fine, condition very good. Hand applied highlights to the flowers on the robes, metallic inks. Publisher's mark in left margin.
An interesting feature of the set is the fact that they were published by Matsuki Heikichi, a publisher and printer of woodblock prints during the Meiji era, located in Yoshikawa-cho, a considerable distance from Osaka. He was the fourth generation in the family, known later for promoting the work of Kobayashi Kiyochika.
A copy of this series and this print can be found in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
18 x 24.5 cm.
