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Fragrant Plum (Niou ume), from the series Series for the Hanazono Group (Hanazono bantsuzuki)


「花園番続 匂梅」
Totoya Hokkei (Japanese, 1780–1850)
Japanese
Edo period
about 1822 (Bunsei 5)

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Shikishiban; 21.4 x 18.6 cm (8 7/16 x 7 5/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.19847
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Mirviss, The Frank Lloyd Wright Collection of Surimono (1995), cat. no. 110; Keyes, Art of Surimono (Chester Beatty cat., 1985), vol. 1, #117
DescriptionThe poem and the bronze shrine lantern refer to the Kitano Shrine in Kyoto, dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, who loved plum blossoms. Discussed, but not translated, in Keyes 1985, vol. 1, p. 146.
Signed Hokkei
北渓
InscriptionsPoem by Ichidaen Ebira: Nenrei ni/ kitano no ume no/ hana sakite/ hitokiwa medatsu kamishimo no mori
年礼に きたのゝ 梅の花 さきて ひときは めたつ 上下の森
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.