Shunkōsai Hokushū (active 1810 - 1832) Nakamura Matsue III as Otaka from Chushingura, 1824. Oban.
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Hokushu is largely credited with establishing the Osaka style and developing an industry around printmaking in the city. He represents the earliest of the new wave of print artists at the start of the nineteenth century. It is said that he was a paper merchant and pupil of the print designer Shokosai Hanbei. He was the leading Osaka portraitist during the 1820’s and really developed the distinctive look of Osaka prints, producing the earliest of the chuban format portrait heads with their lush printing, metallic embellishments and deep embossing, in a portrait of Kataoka Nizaemon VII as Matsunaga Daizen in 1816.
The richness and what one might term 'density' of Osaka School prints undoubtedly was a powerful influence on the direction that Edo prints were to take in the 1830’s and later. That density, that saturation is just visible in this outstanding work. The print is a partner to another on the same theme, both are surimono… exceptionally well printed, privately commissioned works that include a poem composed by members of intensely fanatical coteries of theatre fans.
This story, from the play, Gishinden Yomikiri Kôshaku and deriving from the great revenge drama, The Chushingura, would have commanded such adoration. As steeped in betrayal as a modern TV show such as The Traitors, this short plot certainly tugs at the heart strings. Two conspirators from the 47 Ronin are spying on the evil Lord Moronao by pretending to run a flower shop. They intend to discover the layout of the Daimyo’s castle compound. The beautiful Otaka enters as a customer and she and one of the Ronin conspirators, Yashichi, fall in love. Otaka explains she is the maid at the castle and agrees to help with providing a plan.
Later in the play a palanquin arrives and Okata steps out dressed in finery but as Oran-no-kata… in reality Moronao’s mistress. Dismayed, the Ronin - Yashichi - vows vengeance at this betrayal. Events prove his suspicions wrong but having been forced into prostitution and now cursed by her deceived lover Otaka despairs. She sings a final song and slips the plan of the castle to Yashichi before returning to her closely guarded palanquin. As the music ends blood drips from the closed curtains and onto the floor, signifying her suicide.
This is a superb Osaka print from 1824… the peak of Hokushu’s career. Richly encrusted with double printed inks, metallics and shining burnished blacks, it is a masterpiece of decadent printmaking. Colour and impression are fine, some surface marks but very good over all. Remnants of album backing.
The print is coveted and is in many museum collections… the V&A, London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
36.5 x 25 cm.
