Katsukawa Shunkō (勝川春好) (artist 1743 – 1812)
Sumō bout between Tanikaze (Nishi Tanikaze 西 谷風) and Onogawa (Azuma Onogawa - 東 小野川)
ca 1790
10.3 in x 15.7 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signature: Shunkō ga (春好画)
Publisher: Toyoshima Bunjiemon (Marks 543 - seal 01-109)
Censor's seal: kiwame
The Chester Beatty Library - dated between 1787-89
Harvard Art Museums - a similar sumo print
Honolulu Museum of Art Kajinosuke Tanikaze (谷風梶之助 Tanikaze Kajinosuke, September 8, 1750 – February 27, 1795) was a sumo wrestler in Japan in the Tokugawa era, is officially recognized as the fourth yokozuna, and the first to be awarded the title of yokozuna within his own lifetime. He achieved great fame.
Onogawa Kisaburō (小野川喜三郎, 1758 – April 30, 1806) was a sumo wrestler from Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 5th yokozuna. Along with Tanikaze he was the first to be given a yokozuna licence by the House of Yoshida Tsukasa and the first to perform the dohyō-iri to promote sumo tournaments.
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The nishi of the title represents 'west' and the azuma 'east'.
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The Chester Beatty Library notes that this publisher, Toyoshima Bunjiemon, produced works in Nagasaki.
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A major difference between the copy in the Chester Beatty Library and the one in the Lyon Collection
The Chester Beatty Library dates their copy to 1787-89. It does not have the kiwame seal which appears right above that of the publisher, as in the example in the Lyon Collection. Since the kiwame seal made its first appearance in ca. 1790-91, that should make the image in the Beatty collection slightly older than the one in the Lyon Collection.
sumō (相撲) (genre)
Toyoshimaya Bunjiemon (豊嶋屋文治右衛門) (publisher)