Page 155 - September 21 2021 Important Japanese Art Christie's NYC

221 UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

Soma no furudairi ni Masakado
himegimi Takiyasha yojutsu o

motte mikata o atsumuru (In
the ruined palace of [Taira]

Masakado at Soma his daughter
Princess Takiyasha uses sorcery

to summon allies [the monster
skeleton])

Woodblock print, triptych, each sheet signed
Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga, circa 1844
Vertical oban triptych: 14¡ x 9¬ in. (36.5 x 24.4
cm.) each approx. (3)

$60,000-80,000

This famous print is based on the book Uto Yasukata chugi-
den [Story on the Loyalty of Uto Yasukata], written by Santo
Kyoden (1761-1816). The legend tells that Princess Takiyasha
was the daughter on Taira no Masakado, who had died in the
year 940 during an unsuccessful rebellion. At some point she and
her stepbrother met Nikushisen, a spirit, whose powers helped
them in forming a rebellion. They go to the Soma Palace (which
belonged to their father) to enact their plan. However, a retainer
of Minamoto Yorinobu, Oya Taro Mitsukuni, discovered the
plot and finally defeated the princess and her stepbrother at the
palace. In Kuniyoshi's depiction of this legend, the ghost appears
dramatically as a giant skeleton, drawing back a torn bamboo
blind to haunt Mitsukuni. The princess looks on, chanting a
spell.