Kunisada II: Traveller on his horse - WB 191020

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Utagawa Kunisada II (1823-1880) / Utagawa Hiroshige II (1826-1869)

A traveller on his horse, clad in hat and travelling cape, led by a footman in a straw cape; ghostly appearances are rising out of the night mist. Above a landscape view with a temple, designed like a framed ex-voto picture (hôgaku).

Title: Chichibu junrei jûgoban Bosôsan Zôfukuji (No. 15 of the Chichibu pilgrimage, the Zôfuku temple (today Shôrinji) at Mt. Bosô - Yunoo tôge no kidan (The strange tale at Yunoo pass)

Series: Kannon Reigenki (Records of the miracles of Kannon)

Signature: Kunisada ga, in Toshidama cartouche, and Hiroshige (temple view)

Publisher: Yamadaya Shôjirô (Yamashô, Kinkyôdô), Edo

Date: 1959, 5th month

Size: Vertical Ôban, 37.5 x 25.5 cm (overall)

Excellent impression and colours, with shomenzuri (lustre-printing). Four tiny pinholes in upper margin, a little soiling and rubbing in margins. Unobtrusive weak horizontal crease. Overall very nice condition.Four tiny pinholes in upper margin, a little soiling and rubbing in margins. Unobtrusive weak horizontal crease. Overall very nice condition.
Cf. MFA Boston, No 11.42632, with a complete transcription of the text written by the author Mantei Ôga (1818-1890).
The series, planned for a hundred images but apparently not completely realised, is dedicated to the three ancient main pilgrimage routes to the Kannon (Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara) temples of Japan – in Saigoku (Kansai, Western Japan), Chichibu (Saitama, Central Japan), and Bandô (Kantô, Eastern Japan).

€ 320,-