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Meiji prints

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	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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Enlargement

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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	east
年	nen	year
歴	reki
史	shi	image	Boy’s history

Followed by print title:

Character	Reading	Meaning	Translation
曽	so	east
我	ga	year
兄	kyō
弟	dai	image	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

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References

• The archive of Dieter Wanczura’s Artelino website.

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Provenance: Fuji Arts