Muyōsei (The Six Personalities)

US$1,860.00

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Muyōsei ["The Six Personalities"] 

[Utagawa], Toyokuni [III] [illustrated by].

[Tōkyō: Ibasen, Kaei 6 (1853)].

A complete set of uchiwa-e (fan prints) illustrated by Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) for the publisher and fan shop Ibasen (founded 1590). Each beautiful woman in this series represents one of the six days from the traditional Japanese fortune-telling calendar (rokuyō). The six days, Senshō (good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon), Tomobiki (pulling a friend), Senpu (bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon), Butsumetsu (death of Buddha), Taian (great serenity) and Shakkō (red mouth), have been transformed into puns in the set through the use of irregular kanji (ateji), becoming personalities or "types" of women: Sensō (the ex-courtesan (?)), Tomobiki (inviting friends (?)), Senpu (the selective woman), Butsumetsu (love of things/objects), Taian (peaceful), and Zekkō (love of the seasons). The six-day calendar was used to foretell which dates were good or bad luck; it was considered bad luck to hold a wedding on a Butsumetsu day, for example. The woodblock cutter, Horitake, worked together with Toyokuni on several prints for Ibasen. The asanoha (hemp leaf) pattern traditionally used as a charm against evil spirits is featured in the prints and echoes their spiritual or superstitious theme. A complete set of this very scarce work.

Six leaves backed on washi paper. Browning, small occasional stains, and a few wormholes to prints. Woodblock-printed areas measure approx. 22.8 x 29.4 cm; paper mountings measure approx. 24 x 31.5 cm.

Muyōsei (The Six Personalities)
Price: $1,860.00 (USD)