Fine Japanese Prints
Fine Japanese Prints
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) | Giant Bamboo Shoot Appearing from the Snow | Edo period, 19th century
Lot Closed
December 16, 02:40 PM GMT
Estimate
4,000 - 5,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)
Giant Bamboo Shoot Appearing from the Snow
Edo period, 19th century
woodblock print, aizuri-e, from an untitled series of ten blue (aizuri) prints, signed Saki no Hokusai hitsu (Brush of the former Hokusai), censor's seal kiwame (approved), published by Moriya Jihei (Kinshindo), circa 1831
Vertical chuban: 22.9 x 16.5 cm., 9 x 6½ in.
A man drops his hoe in amazement as he stumbles across a large shoot of bamboo unexpectedly growing during the winter season. One of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety, a classic Chinese text of Confucian filial devotion, the tales were highly influential in the medieval Far East. Here, Moso searches for bamboo to help with his sickly mother's ailments. Although it is the winter season, and such a search is bound to be fruitless, he departs any way and is rewarded for his steadfast dedication to his mother.
For a similar impression of the same print in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, accession number number 21.10232, go to:
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/237851
For a further impression in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts (The MAK), Vienna, inventory number KI 11034, go to:
https://sammlung.mak.at/en/collection_online?id=collect-195508