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Utagawa KUNISADA  (1786 - 1865)		Modern parody (mitate)about the 'Six (Immortal) Poets and the Six Flowers (they represent)'  (Furyu mitate rokkasen)
		Signed:                    Toyokuni ga Carver:                    Yokokawa Tekejiro Publisher:                Ise-ya Kanekichi Dated:                      Year of the Horse, 11th month (11/1858) Size:                          oban hexaptych  (36 x 25 cm / c. 14 1/8" x 10", each sheet,                                   six panels overall: c. 216 x 25 cms / 85" x 10". Condition: EXCELLENT impression, colors and condition; unfaded, brilliant colors, full paper size; six separate sheets as issued retaining their original album backings. ref. no.: #702563 - Sold -

A six-panel composition, each of which depicts an actor and a flower. The name rokkasen (containing the Chinese character for 'Flower') points to the "Six Best waka Poets" of the 9th century (= 'rokkasen'; the word contains the Chinese character for 'Song/Poem'). They are regarded as the geniuses of Japanese poetry and often were popular subject of mitate (= comparison, parody). The characters used here, however, allow another reading: a selection of 'six flowers', here: the peony depicted in the right panel. The panels are numbered '1' through '6' from right to left. -

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