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Lot Essay
published:
Azabu bijutsukan, ed., Azabu bijutsukan: Shuzohin zuroku (Azabu Museum of Art: Catalogue of the collection) (Tokyo: Azabu bijutsukan, 1986), pl. 14.
Azabu Museum of Art, and Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, eds., Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e meihin ten: Azabu bijutsukan shozo/Ukiyo-e Painting Masterpieces in the Collection of the Azabu Museum of Art, introduction by Kobayashi Tadashi, exh. cat. (Tokyo: Azabu Museum of Art; Osaka: Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, 1988), pl. 39.
Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts, and Japan Institute of Arts and Crafts, eds., Edo no fashon, kaikan kinen ten, Part 1: Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e ni miru onnatachi no yosooi/"Fashion of Edo": Women's dress in Ukiyo-e Paintings, exh. cat. (Tokyo: Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts, 1989), pl. 34.
Kobayashi Tadashi, ed., Edo kaiga 2 (koki) (Edo painting 2 [late period]), Nihon no bijutsu 11, no. 210 (Tokyo: Shibundo, 1983), no. 91.
_____, Edo no e o yomu (Reading Edo paintings) (Tokyo: Perikansha, 1989), color pl. p. 220, fig. p. 223.
_____, ed., Azabu bijutsu kogeikan (Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts), vol. 6 of Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e taikan (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1995), pls. 40--1, 40--2.
Naito Masato, "Katsukawa Shunsho no nikuhitsu bijinga ni tsuite" (Beauty paintings by Katsukawa Shunsho), Bijutsushi 125 (1988), cited p. 71.
During the 17th century, wakashu, or young men, danced in this costume (see lot 9), but in the course of the 18th century they were replaced by cross-dressing courtesans. The inscription, signed Jisshu, alludes to the fox spirit of the noh play Tsurigitsune, and at the same time points up the erotic overtones of a woman fitted with male costume and sword performing a "Narihira" dance:
omoebito
kakaru yosoi mo
furuzuka no
kitsune ni onaji
kari no sugata o
The martial attire
donned by my loved one
is but a temporary guise,
just like that of the fox
at the ancient burial mound.
Azabu bijutsukan, ed., Azabu bijutsukan: Shuzohin zuroku (Azabu Museum of Art: Catalogue of the collection) (Tokyo: Azabu bijutsukan, 1986), pl. 14.
Azabu Museum of Art, and Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, eds., Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e meihin ten: Azabu bijutsukan shozo/Ukiyo-e Painting Masterpieces in the Collection of the Azabu Museum of Art, introduction by Kobayashi Tadashi, exh. cat. (Tokyo: Azabu Museum of Art; Osaka: Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, 1988), pl. 39.
Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts, and Japan Institute of Arts and Crafts, eds., Edo no fashon, kaikan kinen ten, Part 1: Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e ni miru onnatachi no yosooi/"Fashion of Edo": Women's dress in Ukiyo-e Paintings, exh. cat. (Tokyo: Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts, 1989), pl. 34.
Kobayashi Tadashi, ed., Edo kaiga 2 (koki) (Edo painting 2 [late period]), Nihon no bijutsu 11, no. 210 (Tokyo: Shibundo, 1983), no. 91.
_____, Edo no e o yomu (Reading Edo paintings) (Tokyo: Perikansha, 1989), color pl. p. 220, fig. p. 223.
_____, ed., Azabu bijutsu kogeikan (Azabu Museum of Arts and Crafts), vol. 6 of Nikuhitsu ukiyo-e taikan (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1995), pls. 40--1, 40--2.
Naito Masato, "Katsukawa Shunsho no nikuhitsu bijinga ni tsuite" (Beauty paintings by Katsukawa Shunsho), Bijutsushi 125 (1988), cited p. 71.
During the 17th century, wakashu, or young men, danced in this costume (see lot 9), but in the course of the 18th century they were replaced by cross-dressing courtesans. The inscription, signed Jisshu, alludes to the fox spirit of the noh play Tsurigitsune, and at the same time points up the erotic overtones of a woman fitted with male costume and sword performing a "Narihira" dance:
omoebito
kakaru yosoi mo
furuzuka no
kitsune ni onaji
kari no sugata o
The martial attire
donned by my loved one
is but a temporary guise,
just like that of the fox
at the ancient burial mound.