Meiji prints
| Design: | Arai Kanpō (1878-1945) | |||||
| Print title: | The Soga brothers | |||||
| Album/series title: | Shōnen Rekishi (Boy’s history) | |||||
| Size: | 21.1 x 30.2 cm (ōban) | |||||
| Original woodblock print | ||||||
| Photography: | Jacques Commandeur |
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Special effects: silver metallic pigments on the purple vest of the brother on the right and on the trousers of the brother on the left.
Published ca. 1900-1910s by Akiyama Buemon.
This print has a vertical fold in the middle, meaning that it originally was issued as part of an orihon (i.e., folding book).
The tale of the Soga Brothers refers to events that took place in Japan in the 12th century. According to the story the father of the two boys was killed when they were infants and as adults they became skilled fighters intent on avenging their father and retrieving his sword.
Artist’s name and red seal in right print area:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 寛 | kan | beautiful | |
| 方 | pō | treasure | Kanpō |
Series title in brown cartouche in right margin:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 少 | shō | few | |
| 年 | nen | year | |
| 歴 | reki | passage of time | |
| 史 | shi | history | Boy’s history |
Followed by print title:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 曽 | so | formerly | |
| 我 | ga | I | |
| 兄 | kyō | older brother | |
| 弟 | dai | younger brother | The Soga brothers |
Publisher’s address, telephone number, and firm name (from right to left) in bottom margin:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 東 | tō | east | |
| 京 | kyō | capital | |
| 市 | shi | city | Tokyo city, |
| 日 | nichi | sun | |
| 本 | hon | origin | |
| 橋 | hashi | bridge | Nihonbashi |
| 區 | ku | district | district, |
| 室 | muro | greenhouse | |
| 町 | machi | quarter | Muro quarter, |
| 三 | san | three | |
| 丁 | chō | house block | |
| 目 | me | count suffix | 3rd house block, |
| 九 | yū | nine | |
| 番 | ban | number | |
| 地 | chi | earth, land | number 9, |
| 電 | den | electricity | |
| 話 | wa | talk | |
| 本 | hon | origin | |
| 局 | kyoku | office | |
| 五 | go | five | |
| 一 | ichi | one | |
| 四 | yon | four | Telephone |
| 四 | yon | four | main office 5144 |
| 滑 | kotsu | slide | |
| 稽 | kei | think | |
| 堂 | dō | temple | Kokkeidō |
References
- This page of the National Gallery of Australia website, where the complete Shōnen Rekishi album designed by Arai Kanpō can be viewed.
- The archive of Dieter Wanczura’s Artelino website.
Provenance: Fuji Arts