Japanese Woodblock Prints
Japanese Woodblock Prints
The Property of a Private Collector
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) | Shoki the Demon Queller | Edo period, 19th century
Lot Closed
July 18, 01:37 PM GMT
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Property of a Private Collector
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861)
Shoki the Demon Queller
Edo period, 19th century
woodblock print, embellished with a blind-printed ground imitating crepe paper (chirimengami), signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi and sealed Kuniyoshi, censor’s seals Hama (Hama Yahei) and Magome (Magome Kangeyu), published by Ebisuya Shoshichi (Kinshodo), circa 1849-52; collector's seal to verso FF
Vertical oban: 36.7 x 25.5 cm., 14⅞ x 10 in.
Felix Fricke
A rare print depicting Shoki, or Zhong Kui, the Demon Queller dressed in Chinese military robes holds a double-edge sword in one hand and a helpless oni in the other. The subject of Shoki was largely auspicious, and paintings or prints depicting him could make suitable gift to someone battling illness.
A similar impression of the same print is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (The V&A), London, accession number 24709, go to:
Kuniyoshi designed two other oban prints depicting Shoki, both of which are rare:
One in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 11.41543, go to:
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/472526
The other in the British Museum, museum number 2008,3037.21410, go to:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2008-3037-21410
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