Suzuki Harunobu (1725–1770)
'The First Day of Spring' (Risshun), from the series 'Fashionable Poetic Immortals in the Four Seasons' (Fuzoku shiki kasen), circa 1768
Woodblock print
Signed: 'Harunobu ga'
Collector seals: Hayashi and Vever
Signed: 'Harunobu ga'
Collector seals: Hayashi and Vever
Vertical chuban:
27.9 x 21 cm. (11 x 8 ¼ in.)
Contact for Price
27.9 x 21 cm. (11 x 8 ¼ in.)
Contact for Price
Very good impression, colour and overall condition. Slight uneven toning in the upper section and slight creasing.
A young woman stands within the open shoji of a house, conversing with her young lover kneeling on the engawa; a sword tucked into his sash. He gesters towards a...
A young woman stands within the open shoji of a house, conversing with her young lover kneeling on the engawa; a sword tucked into his sash. He gesters towards a bitter orange (daidai) tree full of fruit in the garden.
This design is part of a series of twelve prints by Harunobu, each including a seasonal pastime.
Another impression of the same print is in the collection of The MET, New York, accession no. JP2776, go to:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45064
And for another in the collection of The British Museum, London, accession no. 1937,0710,0.24, go to:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1937-0710-0-24
The poem above reads:
Ama no to no
akuru keshiki mo,
shizuka nite
kumoi yori koso
haru wa tachikere
As the gates of
heavens open, quietly
a splendid scene appears
as spring arrives from
the palace of the clouds.
(Translated by John Carpenter)
A further impression of the same print is also in the collection of the Keio University Library, Tokyo, go to:
https://dcollections.lib.keio.ac.jp/ja/ukiyoe/1489
This design is part of a series of twelve prints by Harunobu, each including a seasonal pastime.
Another impression of the same print is in the collection of The MET, New York, accession no. JP2776, go to:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45064
And for another in the collection of The British Museum, London, accession no. 1937,0710,0.24, go to:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1937-0710-0-24
The poem above reads:
Ama no to no
akuru keshiki mo,
shizuka nite
kumoi yori koso
haru wa tachikere
As the gates of
heavens open, quietly
a splendid scene appears
as spring arrives from
the palace of the clouds.
(Translated by John Carpenter)
A further impression of the same print is also in the collection of the Keio University Library, Tokyo, go to:
https://dcollections.lib.keio.ac.jp/ja/ukiyoe/1489
Provenance
Henri Vever (1854-1942)Hayashi Tadamasa (1853-1906)
An Important Swiss Collection (sold Christie's, 2007)
This print was previously sold:
Sotheby's, Highly Important Japanese Prints, Illustrated books, Drawings and Fan Paintings from the Henri Vever Collection Part II, London, 26th March 1975, Lot. 63
Christie's, Japanese Prints (including an important Swiss collection), London, 7th November 2007, Lot 682