Tōkaidō Fūkei Zue (東海道風景図会 - "Vedute e costumi del...

Set of 3 Ancient Japanese Prints (Ehon) – Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) Type: Original polychrome woodcuts folded as a double-sheet book leaf (ehon-ban) from an illustrated book Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川広重, 1797–1858) Origin: Tōkaidō Fūkei Zue (東海道風景図会 - “Views and Customs of the Tōkaidō”) Period: Edo period, Kaei 4 era (circa 1851) Technique: Original woodblock print on washi mulberry paper (Nishiki-e) Framing: Each print is presented in a wooden frame with protective glass Description of Individual Sheets 1. “Costumes of Travelers and Sumo Wrestling” (Tōkaidō Jō-go) • Subject: The sheet features a double illustrated scene of daily life and traditions along the famous Tōkaidō route. • Right page: Dynamic scenes of passersby, tea sellers (mugi-cha) and peasants with straw hats (amigasa) and baskets, accompanied by a cargo horse. • Left page: Animated outdoor sumo training/exhibition scene under the direction of a referee/trainer, with explanatory notes in kuzushiji characters (old Japanese cursive). • Seals/Inscriptions: Central cartouche bearing 東海道 (Tōkaidō) and 上五 (Jō-go / Section 5 upper). Red censorship/Publisher seal at the bottom. 2. “Procession of Travelers and Figures of the Tōkaidō” (Tōkaidō Jō-yon) • Subject: A densely populated choral composition illustrating the social variety of Edo-period travelers. • Right page: A large group of pilgrims, mendicant monks with staff and traditional hat, bearers and street figures with bundles and travel boxes. • Left page: A procession with a loaded horse led by attendants, accompanied by pedestrians from various social strata. • Seals/Inscriptions: Central cartouche 東海道 (Tōkaidō) and 上四 (Jō-yon / Section 4 upper). Red collection/publisher seal. 3. “Landscape along the Tōkaidō with Poems” (Tōkaidō Jō-san) • Subject: A delicate two-panel landscape scene where Hiroshige’s mastery of nature and perspective meets poetic calligraphy (kyōka or haiku). • Right page: View of a wooded hill with ancient pines (matsu) and thatched-roof houses near a watercourse, animated by passing figures. • Left page: River landscape with a wooden bridge, sandy banks and distant mountains. The upper part features elegant calligraphic inscriptions and ancient poetic verses. • Seals/Is inscriptions: Central cartouche 東海道 (Tōkaidō) and 上三 (Jō-san / Section 3 upper). Artist/publisher seals printed in red. * General conditions: Good / Very good for the period (mid-19th century). * Details: The sheets retain their original central fold from the illustrated book (ehon). Original period colors well preserved with slight, natural time-toned shading (vegetal/mineral pigments). Presence of typical yellowing of washi paper, light foxing spots, and marginal folds consistent with the artwork’s age. * Framing: They are already mounted in sober wooden frames with a neutral mat/support. The Tōkaidō Fūkei Zue work represents one of Utagawa Hiroshige’s most interesting contributions to the ehon genre (illustrated books). Unlike his famous ōban-format series dedicated to the Stations of the Tōkaidō, these illustrations offer an intimate, detailed, and almost ethnographic glimpse of daily life, local customs, pilgrims’ attire, and the landscapes along the road linking Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto during the late Tokugawa period. Accurate shipping, traceable

Estimation:€170

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