Akechi-dera on Mount Myôjô, No. 9 of the Chichibu Pilgrimage Route (Chichibu junrei kyûban Myôjôzan Akechi-dera), from the series Miracles of Kannon (Kannon reigenki)
「観音霊験記 秩父巡礼 九番 明星山 （みょうじょうざん） 明智寺 （あけちでら）」
Japanese
Edo period
1859 (Ansei 6), 5th month
Artist Utagawa Kunisada II (Kunimasa III, Toyokuni IV) (Japanese, 1823–1880), Artist Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu) (Japanese, 1826–1869), Publisher Yamadaya Shôjirô (Japanese)
Catalogue Raisonné
C's Ukiyo-e Museum, http://homepage2.nifty.com/ukiyo-e/index.html
Dimensions
Vertical ôban; 34.8 x 24.3 cm (13 11/16 x 9 9/16 in.)
Accession Number
11.42626
Medium or Technique
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Not On View
Collections
Classifications
The story of Yokose no Hyôe.
横瀬の兵衛
Inscription
秩父順礼第九番 明星山明智寺
めぐり来てその名を聞バあけち寺
こゝろの月は曇らざるらん
奉額 ひくらしやたゞさへ急ぐ道ながら
横瀬の兵衛
天正の頃横瀬の里に兵衛といふ稚者あり／家貧きなかに盲の母一人をもち養ふべき／業もなくて此寺の林に来て菓を拾ひて／糧とせしに一日兵衛が菓を拾ひ居たる／所へ老僧きたりて母の病ひを愈さんと／思ハゞ此妙文を唱へさせよ則ち無垢／清浄光恵日破諸闇の二句を授け／けれバ兵衛ありがたく思ひてその文を母に／教へてその日この観音堂に通夜をいたしけるに／暁にいたりて内陣より明々たる星とび出て／母の頂を照すがいなや眼たちところにひらき／母子とも驚きかつ喜びて本尊を厚く拝ミツゝ／皈るがはやくこのこと／諸人にしれ領主より／兵衛が孝心を感じて／田畠を賜ハりまた此本尊の／利益を末世に／しらしめんと其時／より明星／山と／名づけ／られ／たるハ／不思議の／霊験／なり
万亭応賀誌
＊（二代広重画）（二代国貞画）＊安政六年未五月（1859）
Signed
Kunisada ga, in toshidama cartouche (below); Hiroshige ga (above)
国貞画(年玉枠)、広重画
Markings
Censor's seal: Goat 5 aratame
No blockcutter's mark
改印：未五改
彫師：なし
Provenance
By 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)
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.
Credit Line
William Sturgis Bigelow Collection