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Lot Essay
Hosokawa Gracia (1563-1600) was a Christian convert of the late sixteenth century who is remembered as a virtuous and courageous samurai wife. In 1578 she married Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563-1646) and in 1587, while living in Osaka, she became a fervent Christian, receiving the baptismal name Gracia. She is often mentioned in the letters of contemporary Jesuits. Her husband set off to fight for Tokugawa Ieyasu after the death of Hideyoshi in 1598 and left instructions that his retainers should put his wife to death rather than allow her to fall into the hands of the enemy. That is in fact what happened; when threatened by the enemy, the senior retainer of the Hosokawa family killed Gracia and then committed suicide himself.
Matsue was born in Tokyo and first studied under Terasaki Kogyo (1866-1919), then Matsuoka Eikyu (1881-1938). He won a prize when he entered the 7th Teiten exhibition in 1926 and continued to submit his work to Teiten exhibitions. He frequently painted historical figures in classical Yamato-e style using vivid colors.
Matsue was born in Tokyo and first studied under Terasaki Kogyo (1866-1919), then Matsuoka Eikyu (1881-1938). He won a prize when he entered the 7th Teiten exhibition in 1926 and continued to submit his work to Teiten exhibitions. He frequently painted historical figures in classical Yamato-e style using vivid colors.