RARE EDO PERIOD UTAGAWA KUNISADA (TOYOKUNI III) VERTICAL DIPTYCH WOODBLOCK OF MINAMOTO NO YORITOMO,

拍品描述

A rare and highly desirable original Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada (1786?1865), later celebrated as Toyokuni III, depicting Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of Japan's first military government and one of the most consequential figures in Japanese history. Executed in the scarce kakemono-e (vertical diptych) format, the composition is formed from two joined oban sheets creating a dramatic hanging-scroll presentation measuring approximately 10 inches x 29 inches, unframed. Yoritomo is portrayed in formal court attire beneath an ancient flowering plum and pine, symbols of longevity, authority, and renewal. The striking composition is dominated by deep aizuri blue tones, creating a refined and sophisticated visual effect rarely encountered in surviving examples. Unlike Kunisada's more commonly encountered actor and beauty prints, historical portrait subjects in this large vertical diptych format were produced in far smaller quantities and have become increasingly difficult to locate in complete form. The work displays the elegant draftsmanship, subtle color palette, and masterful design that established Kunisada as one of the most important artists of the Utagawa School and one of the defining figures of nineteenth-century Japanese printmaking. Collectors of Japanese art, samurai history, and Edo-period woodblock prints will appreciate the combination of historical significance, artistic quality, and rarity represented by this exceptional example. This diptych was acquired from TK Asian Antiquities and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Michael C. Teller IV of TK Asian Antiquities, a respected specialist in Japanese woodblock prints and Asian art. This piece is double matted and framed under acrylic in a gold toned frame. With frame, this piece measures 21.5 inches x 36 inches.

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