Tosa Mitsusada (1738-1806) | Genji in the Twelve Months (Genji junikkagetsu) | Edo period, late 18th century

Lot Closed

September 29, 02:01 PM GMT

Estimate

3,000 - 4,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

The Property of a Lady

Tosa Mitsusada (1738-1806)

Genji in the Twelve Months (Genji junikkagetsu)

Edo period, late 18^th century

set of twelve shikishi [square-format] paintings: ink, colour and gold on silk, mounted on gold-flecked card as an album in accordion style, the last painting signed Edokoro azukari juyonshi-i ge Tosa no kami Fujiwara Mitsusada (Tosa Fujiwara Mitsusada, Head of the Painting Bureau, Lower 4^th Rank), each sealed Tosa Mitsusada, silk title slip inscribed Genji junikkagetsu (Genji in the Twelve Months), front and back covers painted to the reverse on gold paper with wind-tossed autumn grasses, circa 1792-1802

29.8 x 28.7 x 4 cm., 11¾ x 11⅜ x 1⅝ in.

Tosa Mitsusada, also known as Fujiwara no Mitsusada, was the second son of Tosa Mitsuyoshi (1700-1772). He was appointed Head of the Painting Bureau, or official court painter (Edokoro azukari) for the Imperial Court in 1754. While the Kyoto Imperial Palace was undergoing renovations in 1789, he was commissioned to paint fusuma for the palace interiors. He was promoted to Lower 4th rank in 1792 until further promotion in 1802 and was succeeded by his son Tosa Mitsufu after his death in 1806.

For a different example of a painting, mounted as a hanging scroll and signed Edokoro azukari juyonshi-i ge Tosa no kami Fujiwara Mitsusada, in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 1913,0501,0.67, go to:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1913-0501-0-67