Toyohara Chikanobu

Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延?, 1838–1912), also known as Yōshū Chikanobu (楊洲周延?), was a prolific woodblock artist of Japan's Meiji period.

Names

Chikanobu signed his artwork "Yōshū Chikanobu" (楊洲周延?). This was his "art name" (作品名, sakuhinmei?). The artist's "real name" (本名, honmyō?) was Hashimoto Naoyoshi (橋本直義?); and it was published in his obituary.[1]

Many of his earliest works were signed "studio of Yōshū Chikanobu" (楊洲齋周延, Yōshū-sai Chikanobu?). At least one triptych from 12 Meiji (1879) exists signed "Yōshū Naoyoshi" (楊洲直義?).

The portrait of the Emperor Meiji held by the British Museum is inscribed "drawn by Yōshū Chikanobu by special request" (應需豊原周延筆, motome ni ōjite Yōshū Chikanobu hitsu?).[2]

No works have surfaced that are signed "Toyohara Chikanobu".

Military career

Chikanobu was a retainer of the Sakakibara clan of Takada domain in Echigo province. After the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he joined the Shōgitai and fought in the Battle of Ueno.[1]

He joined Tokugawa loyalists in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, where he fought in the Battle of Hakodate at the Goryōkaku star fort. He served under the leadership of Enomoto Takeaki and Otori Keisuke; and he achieved fame for his bravery. [1]

Following the Shōgitai’s surrender, he was remanded along with others to the authorities in the Takada domain. [1]

Artist's Career

In 1875 (Meiji 8), he decided to try to make a living as an artist. He travelled to Tokyo. He found work as an artist for the Kaishin Shimbun[3]. In addition, he produced nishiki-e artworks.[1]

In his younger days, he had studied the Kanō school of painting; but his interest was drawn to ukiyo-e. He studied with a disciple of Keisai Eisen and then he joined the school of Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi; during this period, he called himself Yoshitsuru. After Kuniyoshi’s death, he studied with Kunisada. He also referred to himself as Yōshū. [1]

Like many ukiyo-e artists, Chikanobu turned his attention towards a great variety of subjects. His work ranged from Japanese mythology to depictions of the battlefields of his lifetime to women's fashions. As well as a number of the other artists of this period, he too portrayed kabuki actors in character, and is well-known for his impressions of the mie (mise-en-scène) of kabuki productions.

Chikanobu was known as a master of bijinga,.[1] images of beautiful women, and for illustrating changes in women's fashion, including both traditional and Western clothing. His work illustrated the changes in coiffures and make-up across time. For example, in Chikanobu's images in Mirror of Ages (1897), the hair styles of the Tenmei era, 1781-1789 are distinguished from those of the Keio era, 1865-1867.

His works capture the transition from the age of the samurai to Meiji modernity, the artistic chaos of the Meiji period exemplifying the concept of "furumekashii/imamekashii"[4].

Chikanobu is a recognizable Meiji period artist,[5] but his subjects were sometimes drawn from earlier historical eras. For example, one print illustrates an incident during the 1855 Ansei Edo earthquake.[6]
"The Korean Uprising of 1882" — woodblock print by Chikanobu

The early Meiji period was marked by clashes between disputing samurai forces with differing views about ending Japan's self-imposed isolation and about the changing relationship between the Imperial court and the Tokugawa shogunate.[7] He created a range of impressions and scenes of the Satsuma Rebellion and Saigō Takamori.[8]

Some of these prints illustrated the period of domestic unrest and other subjects of topical interest, including prints like the 1882 image of the Imo Incident, also known as the Jingo Incident (壬午事変, jingo jihen?) at right.

Chikanobu's war prints (戦争絵, sensō-e?) appeared in triptych format. These works documented the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. For example, the "Victory at Asan" was published with a contemporaneous account of the July 29, 1894 battle. A decade later, his work also depicted events in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905.[9]

Among those influenced by Chikanobu were Nobukazu (楊斎延一, Yōsai Nobukazu?) and Gyokuei (楊堂玉英, Yōdō Gyokuei?).[1]

Genres

Battle scenes

Examples of battle scenes (戦争絵 (せんそうえ), sensō-e?) include:

* Boshin War 1868-1869 (Boshin sensō 戊辰戦争?)
* Satsuma Rebellion 1877 (Seinan sensō 西南戦争?)

Examples of scenes from this war include:

A scene from the battle at Kagoshima

An Assemblage of the Heroines of Kagoshima

The battle at Nobeoka

* Jingo Incident Korea 1882 (Jingo Jihen 壬午事変?)

Examples of scenes from this war include:

A sea-land battle from the Korean Uprising

The Japanese Mission to the Koreans

* Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895 (Nisshin sensō 日清戦争?)

Examples of scenes from this war include:

A battle scene from the First Sino-Japanese War

* Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 (Nichiro sensō 日露戦争?)

Warrior Prints

Examples of warrior prints (武者絵 (むしゃえ), Musha-e?) include:

Gempei Seisuiki series,Miura Daisuke Yoshiaki (1093-1181)

Azuma nishiki chūya kurabe series, Kusunoki Masatsura attacking an oni

Setsu Gekka (1st series),Takiyasha-hime, daughter of Taira no Masakado
Yōshū Chikanobu Mount Komaki.jpg

Sakakibara Yasumasa and Toyotomi Hideyoshi on Mt. Komaki

Tomoe Gozen with Uchida Ieyoshi and Hatakeyama no Shigetada

Beauty pictures

Examples of "beauty pictures" (美人画, Bijin-ga?) include:

Azuma series, keshō

Shin Bijin series, No. 12

Setsu Gekka (second series), suimen no tsuki

Gentō Shashin Kurabe series, Arashiyama

Jidai Kagami series, Kenmu nengō (era)

azuma fūzoku nenjū gyōji series, 6th month

Kyōdō risshiki album No. 42 Chikako

Historical pictures

Examples of historical scenes (史教画, Reshiki-ga?) include: Recent (Meiji era) history

A scene of the Japanese Diet

A Scene in the House of Peers

A scene of a meeting of the Privy Council

Ancient history

Nihon Rekishi Kyokun series – Lessons from Japan's History - Shiragi Saburō and Tokiaki

Nihon Rekishi Kyokun series – Lessons from Japan's History - Tajima no kami Norimasa

Famous Places

Examples of scenic spots (名所絵, Meisho-e?) include:
Meisho Bijin Awase series, Matsushima in Rikuzen Province

gentō shashin kurabe series, Oji no taki

Nikko Mesho series, Hannya and Hoto Waterfalls

Kameido Tenjin Shrine

Portraits

Examples of portraits (肖像画, Shōzō-ga?) include:

Emperor Meiji

Saigō Takamori

Enlightenment pictures

Examples of "enlightenment pictures" (文明開化絵, Bunmei kaika-e?) include:
Women and girls in Western dress with various hairstyles

shin bijin series:Woman with Western-style umbella and book

azuma fūzoku fuku tsukushi series:Western-style clothing

mitate jūnishi series:Depiction of mixed clothing styles

Kabuki scenes

Examples of "kabuki scenes/actor portraits" (役者絵, Yakusha-e?) include:

Kabuki scene

Kuronushi attempting to cut down a cherry tree[10]

Kabuki scene

Kabuki scene depicting a samurai of the Sanada carrying a cannon

Kabuki scene

Memorial prints

Examples of "Memorial prints" (死絵, Shini-e?) include:

Iwai Hanshiro VIII, 1829-1882

Women's Pasttimes

Examples of "Etiquette and Manners for Women" (女禮式, joreishiki?) include:

Azuma kai series:Watching cherry blossoms fall (hanami)

Kaika kyōiku mari uta series:teaching songs with koto and gekkin

Shin bijin series:Practicing kanji

Nijūshi kō mitate e awase series:Weaving Tōei

Setsu gekka series II:creating bonkei

Azuma fūzoku fuku tsukushiseries:purchasing kimono cloth at the drapers

Fugaku shū series:Women digging clams at the beach

Typical Meiji era pasttimes

Japanese tea ceremony

Japanese Flower Arranging Ikebana

Emperor Meiji Pictures

Examples of Emperor Meiji relaxing include:

Emperor Meiji at a Flower Show

Emperor Meiji at Asukayama Park

Emperor Meiji enjoying the cool evening

Contrast Pictures

Examples of "Contrast prints" (見立絵, Mitate-e?) include:

Mitate jūni shi series The Sign of the Ox

Gentō shashin kurabe series Kanjinchō

Imayō tōkyō hakkei series Evening bell at Asakusa

Nijūshi Kō Mitate E Awase series The Deer Milker

Glorification of the Geisha

Examples of this genre include:
meiyo iro no sakiwake series:reading a letter

Katamura-rō in the Yoshiwara

imayō tōkyō hakkei series:walking with an escort

Formats

Like the majority of his contemporaries, he worked mostly in the ōban tate-e[11] format. There are quite a number of single panel series, as well as many other prints in this format which are not a part of any series.

He produced several series in the ōban yoko-e[12] format, which were usually then folded cross-wise to produce an album.

Although he is, perhaps, best known for his triptychs, single topics and series, two diptych series are known as well. There are, at least, two polyptych[13] prints known.[14]

His signature may also be found in the line drawings and illustrations in a number of ehon (絵本), which were mostly of a historical nature. In addition, there are number of sheets of sugoroku (すごろく) with his signature that still exist and at least one print in the kakemono-e[15] format was produced in his latter years.

Ōban yoko-e

A partial list of single-panel series in ōban yoko-e format includes:[16]

* Kanke jūni kagetsu no uchi (冠化十二ヶ月の内) {12} «1880» [24] Twelve Months at Home with the Royal Ladies[17]
* Kyōiku azuma bijin jūni kagetsu zen (教育東美人會十二ヶ月全) {12} [18] The Education of Beautiful Women in Edo throughout the Whole Year[17]
* Heike monogatari (平家物語) «1898»[19] [3] The Tale of the Heike
* Azuma fūzoku mokuroku (東風俗目録) «1901» [15] An Annal of Eastern Pastimes[17]
* Edo nishiki (江戸錦) «1903-5» [15] Edo Brocade
* Yōchi hana (幼稚) «1905» [] Childhood Flowers
* Kyōiku rekishi gafu (教育歴史画布) «1906» [4] Educational Pictorial Album of History

Chuban yoko-e

Prints in chuban yoko-e [20] format include:[16]:

* Zen'aku ryōtō kyōkun kagami (善悪両頭教訓鑑) «1882» [ ] Examples of Moral Precepts Employing the Two Heads of Good and Evil
* Honcho buyū kagami (本朝武勇鑑) «1882» [10] Models of Our Country's Valor

Chuban tate-e

Prints in chuban tate-e[21] format include:[16]:

* Miyako no hana iro (都の花色) «unk» probably a hikifuda (advertising circular) for cloth/clothing, published by Tōkyō hatsubaimoto (Tokyo sales agency)

Chuban harimaze-e

Prints in harimaze-e[22] series include:[16]:

* Tōkyō hana kurabe (東京花竸) «1879» [29] Contrasting the Flowers of Tokyo.[23]

Ōban tate-e

A partial list of single-panel series in ōban tate-e format includes:[16]

* Imayō bijin kurabe (今様美人竸) «1877» [27] Contrasting Modern Women
* Kagoshima yūfu den (鹿児島勇婦傳) «1877» [13] Reports of the Heroines of Kagoshima
* Honchō kōtō ki (本朝皇統記) «1878» [25] [24] The History of the Imperial Line of Our Country
* Azuma sugata shiki no uta (東姿四季の詠) «1879–1881» [20] Compositions in the Eastern Style for the Four Seasons
* Eimei bushō no men (英銘武将之面) «1880» [12] Faces of Famous Military Commanders
* Hana sugata bijin sama (花姿美人樣) «~1880» [8] Alluring Flowers as Beautiful Women
* Imayō bijin kagami (今様美人鏡) «1881» [22] Reflections of the Modern Woman
* Tō kyōgen homare no wazogi (當狂言名譽俳優) «1882» [28] Hit Plays with Famous Actors
* Tōkyō meisho kurabe (東京名所竸) «1882» [12] Contrasting Views of Famous Places of Tokyo
* Kaika kyōiku mari uta (開化教育鞠唄) «1883» [18] Songs of Enlightenment and Education
* Meiyo iro no sakiwake (名譽色咲分) «1883-4» [1] Honorable Flowers Blooming in Different Colors[25]
* Setsu gekka (雪月花) Snow, Moon, Flower [26]
* Gempei seisuiki (源平盛衰記) «1885» [10] A Chronicle of the Rise and Fall of the Minamoto and the Taira[27]
* Azuma nishiki chūya kurabe (東錦晝夜竸) «1886» [1, 10] {50} [28] Brocade of the East, A Contrast of Day and Night
* Tokugawa kakei ryakki (徳川家系略記) «1886-7» [8] A Brief Account of the Tokugawa Lineage
* tōshun sugagtami kyō (當春姿見竸) «1887» [ ] A full-length mirror contest this spring
* Imayō tōkyō hakkei (今様東京八景) {8} «1888» [11] Eight Views of Tokyo Today
* Azuma fūzoku fuku tsukushi (東風俗福つくし) «1889–1890»[29] [9] Customs of the Capital displayed by Homonyms of the word fuku
* azuma fūzoku nenjū gyōji (東風俗年中行事) {12} «1890» [11] Annual Events and Customs in the Capital[17]
* Nijūshi kō mitate e awase (二十四孝見立画合) {24} «1890-1» [2] A Contrasting Parody of The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars[30]
* Bakin chojutsu (馬琴著述) «1890-1» [6] Stories by Bakin
* Gentō shashin kurabe (幻燈寫心竸) «1890-2» [7] Daydreams by Magic Lantern
* Fugaku shū (富嶽集) «1891» [1] A Collection of Scenes of Mt. Fuji
* Azuma kagami (東鑑) «1892» [26] Mirror of the East
* Mitate jūnishi (見立十二支) {12} «1893-4» [6] A Contrasting Parody of the Zodiac[17][31]
* Fujin sokuhatsu shukuzu (婦人束髪縮圖) «1895» [17] Reduced Drawings of Western-style Hairdos for Women
* Shiki no hana kyōgen mitate (四季の花狂言見立) «1895» [16] Comparing Dramas to Flowers of the Four Seasons
* Azuma (あづま) {24} «1896» [3] The East
* Jidai kagami (時代鑑) {50} «1896-8» [15] A Mirror of the Ages
* Shin bijin (真美人) {36} «1897-8» [14] Truly Beautiful Women
* Tōkyō meisho (東京名所) «1897–1902» [23] Famous Places of Tokyo
* Kagoshima eimenden (鹿兒島英名傅) [21] Chronicles of the Glories of the Satsuma Revolt

Two of his well-known ōban tate-e diptych series include:[16]:

* Meisho bijin kai (名所美人合) «1897-8» [15] An Exposition of Beautiful Women in Scenic Places
* Nihon meijo totsu (日本名女咄) «1893» [5] Very Tall Stories about Famous Women of Japan

A partial list of triptych series includes:[16]:[32]

* Honchō musha kagami (本朝武者鏡) «1881» [] A Mirror of Our Country's Warriors
* Edo sunago nenjū gyōji (江戸砂子年中行事) «1885» [ ] Sands of Edo - Annual Events
* Chōyō no zu (重陽之圗) «1885» [6] Scenes from a Chrysanthemum Festival
* Fujin shoreshiki no zu (婦人諸禮式の図) «1887» [23] Scenes of Various Women's Ceremonies
* Tosei furi (渡世振) «1887» [ ] Modern Life
* Edo fūzoku jūni kagetsu no uchi (江戸風俗十二ヶ月の内) «1889» [ ] Daily Life in Edo Throughout Twelve Months[17]
* Onko azuma no hana (温故東の花) «1889-9» [ ] Looking into the Past: The Pride of the East
* Saigoku ga shū (西国雅集) «1892» [ ] A Collection of West Country Elegance
* Nihon sankei no zu (日本三景の内) «1892» [ ] Three Famous views of Japan
* Yamato fūzoku (倭風俗) «1892» [6] Customs of Old Japan
* Azuma no fūzoku (あづま風俗) «1894» [] Daily life of the east
* Chiyoda no o-oku (千代田の大奥) «1894-6» [3] The Ladies' Chambers of Chiyoda Palace
* Tokugawa jidai kifujin (徳川時代貴婦人) «1896» [2] Ladies of the Tokugawa period
* Chiyoda no on-omote (千代田の御表) «1898» [3] Chiyoda Palace: Outside the Walls
* Joreishiki ryaku zu (女禮式略の図) «1898» [9] Handbook of Ladies' Etiquette
* Ima to mukashi (今とむかし) «1898» [2] Then and Now[17]
* Take no hitofushi (竹乃一節) «1898» [15] Verses of the Middle Rank [33]
* Chōsenhen hō (朝鮮變報) - A Report of the Korean Disturbance
* Settsu gekka no uchi (雪月花の内) - Inside Snow, Moon, Flower
* Nihon reikishi kyōkun jin (日本歴史教訓尽) - Complete Lessons of Japanese History

In addition, his œuvre contains a very large number of three panel scenes with individual titles, not collated into series. One group of these could be assembled under the heading, "The Royal Household at Play", another could be grouped under "Scenes from the Kabuki", and a third under two sub-titles, "The Satsuma War" and the "The Sino-Japanese War.'

An album of twenty-five triptychs was published in 1877 by several artists,[34] including Chikanobu, which brought to light the events of an important domestic insurrection (the Satsuma Rebellion).[citation needed]

A bound album in ōban tate-e format was conceived and assembled by the publisher, Matsuki Heikichi, under the title of “Kyōdō risshiki “ [Self-made Men Worthy of Emulation/Exemplars of Learning and Achievement] containing 50 prints (though 53 are known) by various artists[35] including Chikanobu who produced two of the images: #16 Hagaku and # 43 Chikako. Although the publication dates of the prints in this series ranged from 1885 to 1890, Chikanobu’s two contributions to this effort are dated the fourth and fifth months of 1886.[36][37]

Publishers

[1] Kōbayashi Tetsujirō (小林鉄次郎) was located at 日本橋区通三丁目十三番地

[2] Hasegawa Tsunejirō (長谷川常冶郎) was located at 神田区鍛治丁五バンチ

[3] Fukuda Hatsujirō (福田初次郎) was located at 日本橋区艮谷川町十九番地

[4] Narasawa Kenjirō (奈良澤健次郎) was located at 東京神田區錦町二丁目三番地

[5] Takegawa Seikichi (武川清吉) was located at 日本バン区本銀丁二丁目十二バンチ

[6] Morimoto Junzaburō (森本順三郎) was located at 浅草區瓦丁二バンチ

[7] Yokoyama Ryōhachi (横山良八) was located at下谷区スキヤ町十二バンチ

[8] Komiyama Shōhei (小宮山昇平) was located at 日本バン区本右町二丁目九バンチ

[9] Takegawa Unokichi (武川卯之吉) was located at 日本バン区本銀丁二丁目十二バンチ

[10] Tsunashima Kamekichi (綱島亀吉) was located at 日本橋区馬喰町二丁目十四番地

[11] Hasegawa Sonokichi (長谷川園吉) was located at 日本橋区小傳馬町三丁目十七番地

[12] Miura Bumei (三浦武明) was located at 浅草並木町一番地

[13] Yamamura Kinzaburō (山村金三郎) was located at 浅草吉野町五十六番地

[14] Akiyama Buemon (秋山武右衞門) was located at 日本橋區室町三丁目九番地

[15] Matsuki Heikichi (松木平吉) was located at 東京市日本橋區吉川町二番地

[16] Tsujioka Bunsuke (辻岡文助) was located at 日本椅区横山町三丁目二番地

[17] Yamaguchi Yoshi (山口芳)was located at 神田松冨丁四番チ

[18] Arita-ya (有田冶) was located at 駒込東庁町百四十七番地

[19] Hasegawa Sumi (長谷川壽美) was located at 東京市京橋区南傳馬町二丁目十七番地

[20] Toshimo Toshin (眞下常信) was located at 森川丁一番地

[21] Daikura Sonhei (大倉兵工) was located at 日本橋道一丁目十九番地

[22] Hatano Tsunesada (定多野常定) was located at 馮島六丁目廿五番チ

[23] Katsuki Yoshikatsu (勝木吉勝) was located at 東京市下谷区スキヤ町十五番地

[24] Matsui Eikichi (松井栄吉) was located at 弓町二番地

[25] Kimura Fukujirō (木村福次郎) was located at 浅草十九町二番地

[26] Murakami Takashi (村上剛) was located at 芝区高輪車丁八十三番地

[27] (亘市兵工) was located at 堀江丁二丁目十バンチ

[28] Asano Eizō (浅野栄造) was located at 上く東黒門丁十四号地

[29] Hayashi Kichi- (林吉- ) was located at 南傳馬町一丁目二番地

Notes
A Seated Woman with a Lacquer Candle Stand (c. 1875) by Chikanobu. Wood-block print, 36.2 × 23.8 cm (14.25 × 9.37 in). Collection of Brooklyn Museum.

1. ^ a b c d e f g h See "Yōshū Chikanobu [obituary]," Miyako Shimbun, No. 8847 (October 2, 1912). p. 195:
"Yōshū Chikanobu, who represented in nishiki-e the Great Interior of the Chiyoda Castle and was famous as a master of bijin-ga, had retired to Shimo-Ōsaki at the foot of Goten-yama five years ago and led an elegant life away from the world, but suffered from stomach cancer starting this past June, and finally died on the night of September 28th at the age of seventy-five.
His real name being Hashimoto Naoyoshi, he was a retainer of the Sakakibara clan of Takada domain in Echigo province. After the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he joined the Shōgitai and fought in the Battle of Ueno. After the defeat at Ueno, he fled to Hakodate, Hokkaidō, fought in the Battle of Hakodate at the Goryōkaku star fort under the leadership of Enomoto Takeaki and Otori Keisuke ; and he achieved fame for his bravery. But following the Shōgitai’s surrender, he was handed over to the authorities in the Takada domain. In the eighth year of Meiji, with the intention of making a living in the way that he was fond of, went to the capital and lived in Yushima-Tenjin town. He became an artist for the Kaishin Shimbun, and on the side, produced many nishiki-e pieces. Regarding his artistic background: when he was younger he studied the Kanō school of painting, but later switched to ukiyo-e and studied with a disciple of Keisai Eisen; and next joining the school of Utagawa Kuniyoshi , called himself Yoshitsuru. After Kuniyoshi’s death, he studied with Kunisada. Later he studied nigao-e with Toyohara Kunichika, and called himself Isshunsai Chikanobu. He also referred to himself as Yōshū.
Among his disciples were Nobukazu (楊斎延一, Yōsai Nobukazu?) and Gyokuei (楊堂玉英, Yōdō Gyokuei?) as a painter of images on fans (uchiwa-e), and several others. Gyokuei produced Kajita Hanko. Since only Nobukazu now is in good health, there is no one to succeed to Chikanobu’s bijin-ga, and thus Edo-e, after the death of Kunichika, has perished with Chikanobu. It is most regrettable." — trans. by Kyoko Iriye Selden, Senior Lecturer, Department of Asian Studies, Cornell University, ret'd.
2. ^ British Museum, [1] woodblock print. Portrait of the Meiji Emperor
3. ^ 改進新聞 (かいしんしんぶん)
4. ^ Miner, Odagiri and Morrell in the Princeton Companion to Classical Japanese Literature, pp. 9, 27.
5. ^ Gobrich, Marius. "Edo to Meiji: Ukiyo-e artist Yoshu Chikanobu tracked the transformation of Japanese culture," Japan Times. March 6, 2009; excerpt, "We think the characteristics of the artist start to show around the late 1880s.... Before this, in his early works, he tends to imitate his teacher, Toyohara Kunichika."
6. ^ Gobrich, "Edo to Meiji," Japan Times. March 6, 2009; excerpt, " One picture shows people escaping from a collapsing house during the Ansei Edo Earthquake of 1855, which reportedly killed over 6,000 people and destroyed much of the city. What gives this image a particularly timeless feel is the fact that the noble lady of the house — in accordance with the rules of etiquette and social decorum — has taken the trouble to get into her palanquin first before being carried out of the collapsing house.."
7. ^ "Yōshū Chikanobu [obituary]," Miyako Shimbun, No. 8847 (October 2, 1912). p. 195; Gobrich, "Edo to Meiji," Japan Times. March 6, 2009; excerpt, "[Chikanobu] was originally a samurai vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate who saw action in the Boshin War (1868-69), which ended the country's feudal system."
8. ^ British Museum, Meiji shoshi nenkai kiji, 1877; woodblock print, triptych. Saigo Takamori and his followers in the Satsuma rebellion
9. ^ Christie's, New York: Lot 76/Sale 1702, 21 September 2006; excerpt, "Toyohara Chikanobu (1838-1912)... Twenty-four triptychs: Nisshin sensoki (Report of the Sino-Japanese War), signed Yoshu Chikanobu, published by Maki Kinnosuke, 1895.3.6; along with twenty-three triptychs of various subjects, most Sino-Japanese war battles, several Russo-Japanese war battles on land and sea, two of officials at treaty negotiations, most signed Yoshu Chikanobu, variously published;" Artelino, "Japanese War Prints" citing Shumpei Okamoto. (1983). Impressions of the Front: Woodcuts of the Sino Japanese War, 1894-95, Philadelphia Museum of Art, OCLC 179964815
10. ^ Cavaye, Ronald et al. (2004). A Guide to the Japanese Stage: from Traditional to Cutting Edge, pp. 138-139. at Google Books
11. ^ The ōban tate-e (大判立て絵) format is ~35 x 24.5 cm or about 14" x 9.75" and is vertically oriented. For further information about woodblock formats, please see Woodblock printing in Japan
12. ^ The ōban yoko-e (大判立て絵) format is ~24.5 x ~35 cm or about 9.75" x 14" and is horizontally positioned. For further information about woodblock formats, please see Woodblock printing in Japan
13. ^ referring in this case to more than three panels
14. ^ one of which is a five panel print from the series, "The Imperial Ladies' Quarters at Chiyoda Palace" entitled, konrei (こんれい) The Marriage Ceremony. The other is a very well-known nine-panel print entitled Meiji Sanjū-Ichi-Nen Shi-Gatsu Tōka: Tento Sanjū-Nen Shukugakai Yokyō Gyōretsu no Zu (明治31年4月10日: 奠都30年祝賀會餘興行列の図), The Procession in Commemoration of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Transfer of the Capital.
15. ^ The kakemono-e (掛物絵) format is ~71.8 x ~24.4 cm or about 28.3" x 9.6" and consists of two vertically positioned oban tate-e prints joined on the shorter side. For further information about woodblock formats, please see Woodblock printing in Japan
16. ^ a b c d e f g The format of the information provided is (where known):
* (1) the transliterated title employing Wiki-romanization criteria;
* (2) the title (enclosed in parentheses) of the work reproduced using the kanji and hiragana found in the title cartouche;
* (3) the number {enclosed in curly brackets} of prints in the series (where known), excluding the covers, the moku roku, and any introductory or complimentary pages;
* (4) the Gregorian calendar date(s) «enclosed in doubled angle brackets» calculated from the date found in the otodoke or in the vertical margins of the print, which showed the Meiji calendar year, month, and day that authorities accepted a notification of intent to publish;
* (5) a referral [enclosed in square brackets] to the section containing the publisher’s name and address; and (6) an English translation of the title.
17. ^ a b c d e f g This appears to be a "calendar" series; each print depicting a specific month
18. ^ This series was originally produced in «1897» by [19], possibly under the title jūni hito'e (十二ひと繪) Twelve Prints in Sequence (a pun on the twelve-layered kimono); it was reissued in booklet form in «1906» with the present title by [4]
19. ^ This album has been so titled by several sources and may be incorrect; it may be the earlier printing of kyōiku rekishi gafu.
20. ^ The chuban yoko-e (中判立て絵) format is ~19 x 25.5 cm or about 7.5" x 10" and is horizontally positioned. For further information about woodblock formats, please see Woodblock printing in Japan
21. ^ The chuban tate-e (中判立て絵) format is ~25.5 x 19 cm and or about 10" x 7.5" and is vertically oriented. For further information about woodblock formats, please see Woodblock printing in Japan
22. ^ A harimaze-e (張交絵) is a page of prints meant to be cut apart
23. ^ Yotsugiri (四切り) format is a comparatively rare, small print size, about 7" x 5" (19cm x 13cm), obtained by printing four prints on a oban sized sheet
24. ^ In this series of ōban tate-e prints each sheet is divided into quadrants displaying four emperors per page
25. ^ It was the custom of many artists thoroughout the years to glorify courtesans and tea-house waitresses, so this title might be read: "Reputable Ladies of Different Houses.
26. ^ This is another very common theme amongst the artists of the Meiji period. Chikanobu produced two entirely different single ōban series, as well as a triptych series, with this title. The earlier ōban series was published {50} «1884-6 »[1] with a second edition published «1895»; the other series was published «1898–1902» [15].
27. ^ There are two editions of this series, though both with the same publishing date. One, with an ornate, colored border, which usually contains the print number in the cartouche and the other, with a plain gray border, which is not numbered.
28. ^ This series was printed by both publishers.
29. ^ Many prints in this series are undated.
30. ^ A very popular theme with several Meiji artists, depicting the Confucian exemplars of filial devotion. Their Japanese counterparts have also been portrayed, though not by Chikanobu, who uses this theme to contrast these paragons with modern Japanese women, mostly from the entertainment class.
31. ^ The insets were done by several of his students.
32. ^ This list does not include his kabuki scenes, which number well over a hundred and were never collated.
33. ^ This series has also been called "Bamboo Knots"
34. ^ Okumura Toshinobu, Hasegawa Sadanobu, Nakai Yoshitaki, Suzuki Toshimoto, et al.
35. ^ Kiyochika (17), Toshikata (16), Tankei (12), Yoshitoshi (4), Chikanobu (2), Kuniaki (1), and Kunichika (1).
36. ^ In an article by Iwakiri Shin'ichirou "Kyoudou risshi no matoi" ni tsuite (Meiji chuuki no ukiyoe kai no doukou o saguru) Pages 441-455 in "Ukiyoe no genzai" Yamaguchi Keisaburou (editor) Tokyo: Bensei Shuppan, 1999 473 pages, hardcover, boxed
37. ^ Christie's, New York: Lot 699/Sale 7050, 12–13 July 2005; Lot Description: VARIOUS ARTISTS A bound album containing fifty designs from the series Kyōdō risshiki [Self-made Men Worthy of Emulation], very good impressions, colours and condition