1st Dec, 2023 13:00
Fine Japanese Art
217
KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI: THE MANSION OF THE PLATES
Sold for €1,040
including Buyer's Premium
By Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), signed Saki no Hokusai hitsu
Japan, Meiji period edition (1868-1912)
Color woodblock print on paper. Vertical chuban. Signed Saki no Hokusai hitsu; publisher Tsuruya Kiemon (Senkakudo). Titled Sara yashiki (The Mansion of the Plates), from the series Hyaku monogatari (One hundred ghost tales).
The ghost of Okiku rises from the well breathing out a wisp of smoke, having the body of the Okiku worm after her namesake. Grape vines surround the wooden well.
SIZE of the sheet 25.7 x 18.7 cm
Condition: Good impression and colors with slightly trimmed margins and minor browning of paper. Very minor material loss to the edges. Mounted with tapes on a paper mat.
Provenance: From an Austrian private collection. The reverse inscribed with the number, ‘1.’
The legend from the 17th century tells the story of a maid named Okiku who breaks a valuable set of Korean plates. For her mistake, her enraged master throws her into a well and she dies, turning into a Yurei. The neighbors begin hearing her voice in the well every night, repeating "One... Two... Three... Eight... Nine... I can’t find the last one..." After the rumors of her death spread, the house is confiscated from the master. A monk dispels her spirit after uttering the word, “ten” as she counted.
This is a well-known ghost story in Japan. The most popular version was established in 1795, when Japan suffered an infestation of a type of worm found in old wells that became known as the Okiku bug (Okiku mushi). This worm covered with thin threads made it look as though it had been bound. It was widely believed to be a reincarnation of Okiku, having been bound before being thrown into the well.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849) is one of the most renowned and influential artists in Japanese history. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai began his career as an apprentice in a woodblock print shop before venturing out on his own to pursue his passion for art. Over the course of his career, Hokusai created a vast body of work that included not only woodblock prints but also paintings, sketches, and illustrated books. His oeuvre is characterized by a relentless experimentation with style and technique, as well as a deep appreciation for the natural world and the beauty of everyday life.
Museum comparison:
A near identical reprint with a similar seal and printed by the same publisher, dated ca. late 19th century, is in the British Museum, accession number 1921,0511,0.18.
By Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), signed Saki no Hokusai hitsu
Japan, Meiji period edition (1868-1912)
Color woodblock print on paper. Vertical chuban. Signed Saki no Hokusai hitsu; publisher Tsuruya Kiemon (Senkakudo). Titled Sara yashiki (The Mansion of the Plates), from the series Hyaku monogatari (One hundred ghost tales).
The ghost of Okiku rises from the well breathing out a wisp of smoke, having the body of the Okiku worm after her namesake. Grape vines surround the wooden well.
SIZE of the sheet 25.7 x 18.7 cm
Condition: Good impression and colors with slightly trimmed margins and minor browning of paper. Very minor material loss to the edges. Mounted with tapes on a paper mat.
Provenance: From an Austrian private collection. The reverse inscribed with the number, ‘1.’
The legend from the 17th century tells the story of a maid named Okiku who breaks a valuable set of Korean plates. For her mistake, her enraged master throws her into a well and she dies, turning into a Yurei. The neighbors begin hearing her voice in the well every night, repeating "One... Two... Three... Eight... Nine... I can’t find the last one..." After the rumors of her death spread, the house is confiscated from the master. A monk dispels her spirit after uttering the word, “ten” as she counted.
This is a well-known ghost story in Japan. The most popular version was established in 1795, when Japan suffered an infestation of a type of worm found in old wells that became known as the Okiku bug (Okiku mushi). This worm covered with thin threads made it look as though it had been bound. It was widely believed to be a reincarnation of Okiku, having been bound before being thrown into the well.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849) is one of the most renowned and influential artists in Japanese history. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai began his career as an apprentice in a woodblock print shop before venturing out on his own to pursue his passion for art. Over the course of his career, Hokusai created a vast body of work that included not only woodblock prints but also paintings, sketches, and illustrated books. His oeuvre is characterized by a relentless experimentation with style and technique, as well as a deep appreciation for the natural world and the beauty of everyday life.
Museum comparison:
A near identical reprint with a similar seal and printed by the same publisher, dated ca. late 19th century, is in the British Museum, accession number 1921,0511,0.18.
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