Meiji prints
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Special effects: gold metallic pigments splashed onto the print in two separate horizontal bands.
This print displays the title page and table of contents of the Azuma Fūzoku album, including the titles of the twelve prints designed by Chikanobu. The album was published in 1901 in Tokyo by Daikokuya (alias Matsuki) Heikichi (firm name Shōjudō).
Artist’s name in the first column on the right:
Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
楊 | yō | leaf | |
洲 | shū | discipline | |
周 | chika | circumference | |
延 | nobu | prolong | By the brush of |
筆 | hitsu | brush | Yōshū Chikanobu |
Followed by the name of the series/album in the second column from the right:
Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
安 | an | peace | |
津 | tsu | harbor, ferry | |
末 | matsu | end | |
風 | fū | style | |
俗 | zoku | customs | Customs of the East |
And then followed by the titles of the twelve prints in the next four columns from the right:
Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
歌 | ka | poem | |
留 | ru | hold | |
多 | ta | many | (Japanese playing cards) |
あ | a | ||
そ | so | ||
び | bi | play | 1 - Playing cards |
庭 | niwa | yard | |
の | no | ’s | |
櫻 | sakura | cherry | 2 - Backyard cherry tree |
遊 | yū | enjoy oneself | |
歩 | ho | walk | 3 - Enjoying a walk |
春 | haru | spring | |
雨 | ame | rain | 4 - Spring rain |
愛 | ai | love | |
児 | ji | child | 5 - Beloved child |
化 | ke | change | |
粧 | shō | adorn one’s person | 6 - Make-up |
夕 | yū | evening | |
立 | tachi | stand up | 7 - Evening shower |
観 | kan | view | |
月 | getsu | moon | 8 - Moon viewing |
菊 | kiku | chrysanthemum | |
の | no | ’s | |
花 | hana | flower | 9 - Chrysanthemum flowers |
紅 | momi | deep red | |
葉 | ji | leaf | 10 - Red autumn leaves |
宮 | miya | shrine | |
詣 | mairu | visit a temple | 11 - Visiting a shrine |
雪 | yuki | snow | |
見 | mi | view | 12 - Snow viewing |
The five prints in this series that I have (‘Playing cards’, ‘Backyard cherry tree’, ‘Spring rain’, ‘Make-up’, and ‘Visiting a shrine’) together with the seven remaining images in this series that I was able to download from the internet can be seen here:
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 1 - Playing cards |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 2 - Backyard cherry tree |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 3 - Enjoying a walk |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 4 - Spring rain |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 5 - Beloved child |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 6 - Make-up |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 7 - Evening shower |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 8 - Moon viewing |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 9 - Chrysanthemum flowers |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 10 - Red autumn leaves |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 11 - Visiting a shrine |
![]() Azuma Fūzoku 12 - Snow viewing |
References
Provenance: Shōgun Gallery