Kitagawa UTAMARO (1753-1806)

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The lovers Miuraya Agemaki and Yorozuya Sukeroku from the set: Jitsu kurabe iro no minakami, “True Feelings Compared: The Founts of Love.” A series of half-length portraits from joruri love-suicide plays with the addition of several other famous couples. This design depicts a scene from the second half of a “Sukeroku” play showing the hero Yorozuya no Sukeroku and the courtesan Agemaki from the Shimabara quarter: Sukeroku kills Ikyu, steals the heirloom sword Tomokiri-maru and the two lovers escape after Sukeroku gets soaked hiding in a water butt, and then being hidden in the voluminous surcoat of Agemaki [ as shown here ]. The set published c 1798-9 by Nishimuraya. Ex collection Adolphe Stoclet, sold Sothebys 2004, lot 239, p. 139. Bought from Murakami 17/6/1908. Other impressions: Vever, Part 1, 1974, lot 197, p. 168 ( trimmed ); Shibui, Zuten, p. 110, no. 8; Yoshida, Utamaro, 1941, no. 365; TNM, vol. 2, no. 1896. Unidentified collector’s seal bottom right.

Very good impression and colour. Slightly trimmed at top and minimally at bottom. Small edge repair. Signed Utamaro hitsu.

Status: Sold