Eisen | Kumagaya, 69 Stations of the Kiso Kaido

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溪齋英泉 Keisai Eisen (1790–1848)

木曾街道六十九次之内 岐阻道中 熊谷宿 八丁提ノ景
Kumagaya, from the series of The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaido

1835

木版画 | 横绘大判 | 24 x 37.2cm
Woodblock-print | Oban yoko -e | 24 x 37.2cm

初版，画面底部有黑色的渐变，天空带橘黄色的渐变；带画家“英泉画”的签名印章和出版商“竹内”的印章，马背同时带有“竹”字的布料；非常早期版次；颜色鲜艳；品相非常好；背面边缘处有两处非常微小的胶带
First edition, with fine black bokashi on the bottom and yellow-orange on top. Includes Eisen’s signature, which was later removed, according to the scholar Andreas Marks, as was the “Takenouchi“ seal and the blue “Take“ mark charmingly integrated onto the cloth around the horse. All are here. Very early impression with strong color; great condition; 2 tiny tapes verso.

With the success of Hiroshige’s “53 Stations of the Tokaido,” published by Hōeidō, landscapes became hugely popular among Ukiyoe buyers, and the publisher raced to feed the market with an ambitious series depicting the Kiso Kido, or the Mountain Highway, which took a longer in-land route to Kyoto from Edo, much of it along the Kiso River.

The assignment initially fell to Keisai Eisen, who was well known for prints of beautiful women (bijin) but perhaps better known as a carouser, playboy and all-around man-about-town. (At one point, he owned a brothel.) Whether this is legend or not, his work habits apparently proved to be erratic, and after completing the first 11 designs, his contribution steadily diminished; in the end it was Hiroshige who completed the series.

Overall, the prints have a darker, more autumnal feel than the Tokaido prints, with craggy mountains and barren terrain dominating. Eisen tended to focus more on the travelers than on the landscapes. Some are joyous, and some are weary. And this print is a fine example of that.

Kumagaya was the 8th town or station along the route. A wealthy merchant is greeted as he arrives carried in a palanquin, while others take a break at a teahouse. A stone sculpture of the bodhisattva Jizo sits to the right, with a cloth on its head. The scholar Andreas Marks notes that sculpture offers protection to travelers, who have lit incense at its base. Despite the somber palette, it appears to be summer – the trees are full, the merchant cools himself with a fan, and one man has dispensed with this shirt.

Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.

溪齋英泉 Keisai Eisen (1790–1848)

木曾街道六十九次之内 岐阻道中 熊谷宿 八丁提ノ景
Kumagaya, from the series of The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaido

1835

木版画 | 横绘大判 | 24 x 37.2cm
Woodblock-print | Oban yoko -e | 24 x 37.2cm

初版，画面底部有黑色的渐变，天空带橘黄色的渐变；带画家“英泉画”的签名印章和出版商“竹内”的印章，马背同时带有“竹”字的布料；非常早期版次；颜色鲜艳；品相非常好；背面边缘处有两处非常微小的胶带
First edition, with fine black bokashi on the bottom and yellow-orange on top. Includes Eisen’s signature, which was later removed, according to the scholar Andreas Marks, as was the “Takenouchi“ seal and the blue “Take“ mark charmingly integrated onto the cloth around the horse. All are here. Very early impression with strong color; great condition; 2 tiny tapes verso.

With the success of Hiroshige’s “53 Stations of the Tokaido,” published by Hōeidō, landscapes became hugely popular among Ukiyoe buyers, and the publisher raced to feed the market with an ambitious series depicting the Kiso Kido, or the Mountain Highway, which took a longer in-land route to Kyoto from Edo, much of it along the Kiso River.

The assignment initially fell to Keisai Eisen, who was well known for prints of beautiful women (bijin) but perhaps better known as a carouser, playboy and all-around man-about-town. (At one point, he owned a brothel.) Whether this is legend or not, his work habits apparently proved to be erratic, and after completing the first 11 designs, his contribution steadily diminished; in the end it was Hiroshige who completed the series.

Overall, the prints have a darker, more autumnal feel than the Tokaido prints, with craggy mountains and barren terrain dominating. Eisen tended to focus more on the travelers than on the landscapes. Some are joyous, and some are weary. And this print is a fine example of that.

Kumagaya was the 8th town or station along the route. A wealthy merchant is greeted as he arrives carried in a palanquin, while others take a break at a teahouse. A stone sculpture of the bodhisattva Jizo sits to the right, with a cloth on its head. The scholar Andreas Marks notes that sculpture offers protection to travelers, who have lit incense at its base. Despite the somber palette, it appears to be summer – the trees are full, the merchant cools himself with a fan, and one man has dispensed with this shirt.

Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.

Keisai Eisen (1790–1848)

Playright. Student painter. Face powder salesman. Bon Vivant. Brothel owner.

Born in 1790, Keisai Eisen lived 58 years, but in those decades inhabited many lives. Naturally, he is remembered most as an artist of the Floating World, with a specialty of portraying beautiful women, but with an undeniable talent at landscapes. He was born in Edo, the son of a noted calligrapher. After the death of his father he studied under Kikugawa Eizan. His initial works reflected the influence of his mentor, but he soon developed his own style after making a living in several other realms.

He also developed a talent for privately-printed, small-scale surimono prints. His most famous landscape series was the The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido, a project that he began but which was completed by Hiroshige, his junior, after his own work habits became erratic. His bijin-ga appeared more worldly and sensuous than those drawn by his predecessors, who had perhaps imbued them with too much stuffy elegance. Not Eisen’s. He died in 1848.