Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797-1861). Ukiyo-e... Lot 302

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797-1861). Ukiyo-e woodblock print depicting Shiragikumaru, a character from a popular Kabuki drama, elevating a tablet above his head as he is swept through tumultuous waters while holding a skull in his teeth. Signed and stamped along the center right edge; marked along the lower left corner. This dramatic ukiyo-e print by Kuniyoshi depicts the poignant story of Shiragikumaru, a young acolyte and lover of the temple priest Jikyu. Harassed by other priests, they decide to commit suicide in the sea at Enoshima. Although Jikyu survives, seventeen years later, he discovers that Princess Sakura is the reincarnation of Shiragikumaru. In the print, an androgynous Shiragikumaru is raising a monument at Enoshima, symbolized by white chrysanthemums, a pun on his name. The skull he holds suggests the remnants of his past life, and the eerie flame on the left indicates a supernatural event. This print, with its unique subject of homosexual love, references a well-known kabuki drama and reflects themes of reincarnation and enduring love. Sight; height: 13 1/2 in x width: 9 3/4 in. Framed: height: 17 in x width: 12 3/4 in x depth: 3/4 in.