Page 103 - Christies Japanese and Korean Art Sept 22 2020 NYC

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ISODA KORYUSAI (1735-1790)
The auspicious new year's dream
Woodblock print, signed Koryu ga, circa 1775, framed and glazed
Hashira-e: 26¬ x 4æ in. (67.6 x 12.1 cm.)
$3,000-5,000

A courtesan dressed in an elaborate kimono decorated
with peacock feathers has fallen asleep next to her writing
table and dreams of Mount Fuji, a falcon, and aubergines.
Hatsuyume is the first dream one has in the new year and
according to tradition the contents of hatsuyume would
foretell the luck of the dreamer during the ensuing
year. A dream of Mount Fuji, a hawk and aubergines is
considered especially good luck, one reason being that
Mount Fuji is Japan's highest mountain, the hawk is a
strong and intelligent bird, and the word for aubergine
(nasu or nasubi) suggests achieving something great. The
same print is in the collection of The British Museum,
accession no. 1907,0531,0.369.

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KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Takishita no tora (Tiger under a waterfall)
Woodblock print, signed Katsu Shunro ga, circa late 1780s,
framed and glazed
Hashira-e: 25¬ x 4¬ in. (65.1 x 11.7 cm.)
$5,000-8,000

This print is from Hokusai's early period during the
late 18th century when he worked under the pen-
name Shunro ('Spring Brilliance') and is amongst a very
small number of hashira-e produced by him. One other
impression of this rare print is illustrated in Jacob Pins,
The Japanese Pillar Print: Hashira-e, (London, 1982), cat.
no.1006, p. 350.

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