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No. 12, Komurasaki, from the series An Excellent Selection of Thirty-six Noted Courtesans (Meigi sanjûroku kasen)


「名妓三十六佳撰 こむらさきの話 十二」
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786–1864)
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizô (Kôeidô) (Japanese)
Japanese
Edo period
1861 (Man'en 2/Bunkyû 1), 1st month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 36 × 24.9 cm (14 3/16 × 9 13/16 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.42804
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné C's Ukiyo-e Museum, http://homepage2.nifty.com/ukiyo-e/index.html
DescriptionMFA impressions: 11.42804, 11.45302, *11.45303 (deaccessioned in 2019)
Signed Ôju Toyokuni ga, in toshidama cartouche
応需豊国画(年玉枠)
Marks Censor's seal: Chicken 1 aratame
No blockcutter's mark
改印:酉正改
彫師:なし
Inscriptions小むらさきの話

かぶき 浄るり ものの本につくりもう
けて ふるくより かたりつたへし たいふ
なるが いと たけのみち すぐれしかば ある夜の
あめの つれづれを なぐさむよすがに 八重桜
てふ こうたの ふしをつけつつも ふかまの
きゃくの なにがしと 京竹を あはして
うたひしとぞ

 ゆかりとは うれしき
   いろぞ かいつばた

こは ある人に ききしまゝ 筆のついでに
しるしはんべる

 三亭春馬 記
    栄中 書
ProvenanceBy 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.