Comparison of the Ogura One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each -  Handsome design from a terrific series pairing a verse from the best-loved collection of Japanese poetry, "The One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each," with figures from Japanese history or theater. Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, and Kunisada each designed prints for the series. Divided into two parts, the first group of prints features a poem next to the series title, while the second half includes a fan-shaped inset with a portrait of the featured poet. A wonderful and unusual series with great designs by the top artists of the mid-19th century. These prints would make great additions to any ukiyo-e collection.

Poem by Bun'ya no Yasuhide: Tenji no Tsubone and Antoku Tenno - Handsome portrait of the Lady-in-waiting Tenji no Tsubone with her young charge, the child Emperor Antoku. She kneels beside him, watching the autumn winds whipping the pennants atop the mountains at left as misty gray clouds drift across the sky. She wears a beautiful brocade outer kimono, the fabric trailing onto the ground around her, while the emperor is dressed in a fine gray tunic and tall court cap. The verse by poet Bun'ya no Yasuhide reads:

It is by its breath
That autumn's leaves of trees and grass
Are wasted and driven.
So they call this mountain wind
The wild one, the destroyer.

A poignant image, as the young emperor died during the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura when a family member leapt into the sea with him, drowning him rather than allowing him to be captured after the Taira defeat. A fine design from a rarely seen series.

Artist - Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861)

Image Size - 13 3/8" x 8 7/8" + margins

Condition - With excellent color and detail. A couple small tears along edges, repaired from reverse. Slight creasing in subject and along right edge with minor rubbing in margins. Faint spotting and soiling in subject. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.