- Museum number
- 1942,0124,0.13
- Title
- Object: Mashiba Hisayoshi 真柴久吉 (Mashiba Hisayoshi)
- Description
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Colour woodblock print. Mashiba Hisayoshi (i.e. Toyotomi Hideyoshi) taking the hand of Ishida Mitsunari, who wears his hair in a page-boy topknot. Inscribed, signed and marked.
- Production date
- 1803-1804 (ca.)
- Dimensions
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Height: 38 centimetres
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Width: 25.50 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
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Mashiba Hisayoshi was the name used by kabuki theatrical convention for the character Hashiba Hideyoshi, that is, the military leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–98). ‘Hisayoshi’ is shown fondling the hand of a pageboy who, from the seven-star crest on his sleeve, must be his favourite Ishida Mitsunari (1560–1600). The image here clearly implies that the two are in a sexual relationship. However, there is no passage in the illustrated biography Ehon Taiko- ki (Picture Book: Annals of the Regent [Hideyoshi]) of 1797–1802 that mentions sexual relations between Hideyoshi and Mitsunari; rather, this suggestion must have come from Ishida gunki (War Chronicle of Ishida Mitsunari) of 1698 (author unidentified). In Gaidan bunbun shu-yo- of 1860 by Ishizuka Ho-kaishi (1799–1861), it is recorded that one of the images that brought about Utamaro’s punishment at the time of the banning of Ehon Taiko- ki in the fifth month, 1804, showed ‘The Regent [Hideyoshi] taking the hand of Ishida, with his hair dressed in pageboy style, when Ishida had an audience before him’, which clearly corresponds to the present print. The identity of the samurai who carries Hideyoshi’s sword over his shoulder and sticks out his tongue at the serving woman is unknown. Maybe he stands as a symbol of the antagonism felt towards Mitsunari among Hideyoshi’s vassal generals. [SS]
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Asano and Clark 1995
Utamaro designed a group of ‘oban’ prints for the publisher Moriya Jihei based on ‘Picture Book: Annals of the Regent’ [Hideyoshi] (Ehon Taiko-ki) illustrated by Okada Gyokuzan, or showing warriors of the same period. At present five designs are known. In addition to cat. nos. 433-435, these are: "Fukushima Saemon" and "Kato Kiyomasa". Each design features one or two women in the composition and is comic in tone.
The name "Mashiba Hisayoshi" is the common theatrical convention for Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi. On the left is his page-boy Ishida Mitsunari. Behind him is a warrior with a sword over his shoulder who looks to be pestering a woman with his attentions. In ‘Kaidan bunbun shuyo’, edited by Ishizuka Hokaishi, it is stated that this print was one of the causes of Utamaro's punishment, and it is described as follows: "Ishida, wearing his hair in a page-boy topknot, appears in audience before the Regent, who takes his hand." Also, the print "Kato Kiyomasa" clearly corresponds to Ishizuka's description "Kato Kiyomasa in armour at a banquet, with Korean prostitutes playing the ‘shamisen’ and dancing to one side". Utamaro was punished on the 16th day of the fifth month, 1804, so this group of prints was probably issued some time in the previous year.
References
Minami Kazuo, "Utamaro to Toyokuni no hikka ni tsuite", ‘Ukiyo-e shuka furoku’ 11 (1981), pp. 1-8.
Literature:
Shibui, Kiyoshi 渋井清, 'Ukiyo-e zuten, vol. 13: Utamaro' 「ウキヨエ図典13 歌麿」, Kazama Shobo, Tokyo, 1964, pl. 243-2-2.
"Kitagawa Utamaro sakuhin mokuroku" 「喜多川歌麿作品目録」, 'Ukiyo-e shuka', 「浮世絵聚花」, vol. 3 (Bosuton Bijutsukan III ボストン美術館3), Shogakkan, Tokyo, 1978, pp. 235-254, pl. 765-1.
Other impressions:
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (without name).
Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Bruxelles.
Otto Riese Collection.
Worcester Art Museum (Mass.).
[Main text translated in Japanese below / 以下上記本文日本語訳]
浅野/クラーク 1995
歌麿は、版元•森屋治兵衛から、岡田玉山画『絵本太閤記』及びその時代の武士を題材にした大判錦絵を5図(現在確認される数)刊行している。第433~435図と「福嶋左衛門」「加藤清正」で、いずれも一、二の女性を画中に入れ諧謔味を持っているのが特徴である。
本図の「真柴久吉」は羽柴秀吉(豊臣秀吉)の戯曲上の名前。左端が石田三成。後ろで刀を肩に負う武士が女性にいたずらをしかけたしなめられている。この図は、石塚豊芥子編『街談文々集要』に歌麿処罰の原因となった作品として述べられる「太閤御前へ石田児子髷にて目見への手をとり給ふ処」の図そのものと比定される。そして、同じシリーズの「加藤清正」が「加藤清正甲冑酒宴の片はらに朝鮮の妓婦三絃ヒキ舞たる形」に相当するものであろう。処罰されたのは文化元年5月16日であるから、制作はその前年頃と推定される。
〔参考〕
上保国良「文化元年の出版統制をめぐって-「太閤物」の場合-」(研究年報第27集 人文•社会科学編 1978年 日本大学文理学部三島)
南和男「歌麿と豊国の筆禍について」(『浮世絵聚花』付録(11) 1981年)
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2013 3 Oct - 2014 5 Jan, London, BM, Shunga: Sex and pleasure in Japanese art, 1600-1900
- Acquisition date
- 1942
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1942,0124,0.13