Utsuse-gai (Reflection Shell), from the series Genroku kasen kai-awase (A Genroku-era Poetry and Shell-matching Contest)

Utsuse-gai (Reflection Shell), from the series Genroku kasen kai-awase (A Genroku-era Poetry and Shell-matching Contest)

Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760–1849)

1821

Japan: Edo period (1615-1868)

color woodblock print with metallic pigments and embossing on paper; shikishiban surimono

Graybill 2011, no. 86

image: 7 9/16 in x 7 1/8 in; sheet: 8 1/16 in x 7 1/8 in

inscription: 四方歌垣真顔 // 浪花須の梅のかおりにくさめして鼻かみ袋いそがしき春, printed in black ink, upper left Transliteration (Translation): Yomo no Utagaki Magao // Naniwazu no ume no kaori ni kusame shite hanagami-bukuro isogashiki haru (People who sneeze at the fragrance of plums at Naniwa Bay will be busy in the bustle of spring with packets of tissue paper! [by] Yomo no Utagaki Magao) Language: Japanese Description: Poem by Yomo no Utagaki Magao. Translation from Graybill 2011.

inscription: 東流館道守 // 梅が香を高喜橋の袂より霞の袖にうつす春風, printed in black ink, upper left Transliteration (Translation): Tōryūkan Michimori // Ume ga ka o Takakiyabashi no tamoto yori kasumi no sode ni utsusu harukaze (The spring breeze carries the scent of plum from the foot of Takakiya Bridge, up through sleeves of mist [by] Tōryūkan Michimori) Language: Japanese Description: Poem by Tōryūkan Michimori. Translastion from Graybill 2011.

inscription: 秋長堂物簗 // 津の国の浪花の春の夢占につのぐむあしもよしとこそみれ, printed in black ink, center left Transliteration (Translation): Shūchōdō Monoyana // Tsu no kuni no Naniwa no haru no yume ura ni tsunogumu ashi mo yoshi to koso mire (In a New Year's dream at Naniwa in Tsu province, even bad omens foretold by the budding reeds can augur good fortune! [by] Shūchōdō Monoyana) Language: Japanese Description: Poem by Shūchōdō Monoyana. Translation from Graybill 2011.

inscription: 東風のふく来るとて // 商内の // 口あけもよく // 梅笑ふ門, printed in black ink, upper middle Transliteration (Translation): Kochikaze no fuku kitaru tote // akinai no // kuchi-ake mo yoku // ume warau kado (With winds from the east bringing good luck in spring, work gets off to a good start, as people grin at plum trees blossoming at the gate.) Language: Japanese Description: Translation from Graybill 2011.

inscription: 浪花矢梅亭亀楽 // ひも鏡とけ // そめし花の // 姿見に // なにわの梅のかを // うつせ貝, printed in black ink, upper right Transliteration (Translation): Naniwa Shōbaitei Kiraku // Himo-kagami toke // someshi hana no // sugatami ni // Naniwa no ume no ka o // utsuse-gai (As the mirror of ice begins to melt, full-length images of fragrant plums of Naniwa appear in "reflection" shells [by] Shōbaitei Kiraku of Naniwa) Language: Japanese Description: Poem by Naniwa Shōbatei Kiraku. Translation from Graybill 2011.

title: うつせ貝, printed in black ink within fan-shaped cartouche, center right Transliteration (Translation): utsuse-gai (reflection shell) Language: Japanese

signature: 月癡老人為一筆, printed in black ink, center right Transliteration (Translation): Getchirōjin Iitsu hitsu (brushed [by] Iitsu, the Old Man Mad about the Moon) Language: Japanese

series title: 元禄歌仙貝合, printed in red ink within rectangular cartouche, upper right Transliteration (Translation): Genroku kasen kai-awase (a Genroku-era poetry and shell matching contest) Language: Japanese

The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection

32.623

public domain

Edo

Japanese woodblock prints

relief printing

relief prints

surimono

The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection

woodcuts