Yashima Gakutei (八島岳亭) (artist 1786 – 1868)
Hōjō Tokiyori (北條時頼) from the series Twenty-Four Generals for the Katsushika Circle (Katsushika nijūshishō - 葛飾廿四将)
ca 1821
7.375 in x 8.375 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Gakutei (岳亭)
Artist's seal: Sadaoka
Harvard Art Museums
Rijksmuseum
Lyon Collection - another surimono from this series
Art Institute of Chicago
Chazen Museum of Art
Fitzwilliam Museum Shikishiban surimono from the series 24 Generals. - Hōjō Tokiyori (1177-1263) "... the second son of Tokiuji, was the regent for the military government in Kamakura He was an assiduous scholar devoted to learning, and he encouraged literary studies and poetic composition among members of the military class. Gakutei shows him reading by lamplight, seated before an elaborate coral book stand.
The picture is from a series of twenty-four pictures of Japanese warriors and generals commissioned by the Katsushika Group led by the poet Bunbunsha Kanikomaru. The background of each picture is a bold decorative, over-all pattern of cranes in circular medallions, printed in light yellow.
The poem by Shōsō Chie alludes to the story of the poor Chinese student Sun Kang who could not afford a lamp or candles, but pursued his studies throughout the winter by the light of the moon and stars reflected in the snow. 'The snow that I depended on has melted, but I can read my books by the light kindled in the window by the first plum blossoms.' (Tanominishi yuki wa kiete mo fumi manabu mado ni hi tomosu ume no hatsuhana."
Quoted from: Keyes, Surimono: Privately Published Japanese Prints in the Spencer Museum of Art, p. 36. Illustrated in color on page 37.
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Illustrated
1) in color in Reading surimono : the interplay of text and image in Japanese prints : with a catalogue of the Marino Lusy Collection, edited by John T. Carpenter, Hotei Publishing, 2008, p. 121, no. 68.
2) in color in Surimono: Privately Published Japanese Prints in the Spencer Museum of Art, by Roger Keyes, Kodansha International Ltd., 1984, page 37, no. 7
3) in color in Surimono in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam by Matthi Forrer, Hotei Publishing, 2013, page 226, no. 424. Forrer wrote that Yoritsugu appointed Hōjō Tokiyori, at the age of 20, to be his First Minister: "Shortly after Yoritsugu's nomination, there were two failed attempts to kill him and restore the former shogun Kujô Yoshitsune (1218-56), to power. Tokiyori was a good and just advisor, mindful of abuses of power and with a keen awareness of the people's needs and agriculture."
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The Rijksmuseum website says in translation: "Hôjô Tokiyori (1227-1256) was the prime minister of the Kamakura shogun Kujô Yoritsugu [r. 1239-56]. Tokiyori was his loyal adviser and was very aware of the need of the people."
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There is another copy in the Museum Rietberg.
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The Mongols attacked Japan while Tokiyori's son was shōgun.
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Printed with ink, color, mica, metallic pigment and embossing. No one knows who chose the theme for this series. However, It was privately printed by the Katsushika poetry club. It has been noted that a series of 24 generals is uncommon. Also, it should be pointed out that all of the prints in this series have the same background of decorative medallions enclosing stylized cranes.
surimono - 摺物 (genre)
Historical - Social - Ephemera (genre)
warrior prints (musha-e - 武者絵) (genre)
Hōjō Tokiyori (北條時頼) (role)