Bonhams 1793 : Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889) 19th century

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6 Nov 2012 14:30 GMT London, New Bond Street
Fine Japanese Art Afternoon Session
Back to auction 20023

Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-1889)

19th century
Kakejiku, in ink and slight colour on paper, depicting Emma (the King of Hell) seated in judgment at a table, clutching a tablet, pondering over the fate of the sinners whose crimes committed during their lifetime are listed on the scroll, signed Seisei Kyosai with seal possibly reading Donki (stupid demon), the chumawashi (inner mounts) decorated with a dragon, embroidered in coloured silk thread, with Raku-ware jiku (roller ends); with wood storage box, titled Kawanabe Kyosai En'o no zu (picture of Emma by Kawanabe Kyosai). 81.5cm x 23.3cm (32 1/8in x 9¼in). (2).

Estimate:

£5,000 - 6,000
JPY 770,000 - 920,000
US$ 7,500 - 9,000

Footnotes

閻魔図　河鍋暁斎筆　一幅　紙本淡色　19世紀

For other similarly-painted portraits of Emma by Kyosai, see the Exhibition Catalogue, Tokubetsu Tenrankai Botsugo Hyakuniju-nen Kinen Kaiga no Bokensha Kyosai: Kindai e Kakeru Hashi (Commemorating the 120th Memorial of Kawanabe Kyosai Bridge to Modernity: Kyosai's Adventures in Painting), April 8th - May 11th 2008, Kyoto National Museum, 2008, pp.67 and 66, nos.18 and 19. For a third example in the Israel Goldman collection, see the Exhibition Catalogue, Comic Genius: Kawanabe Kyosai, supervised by Shigeru Oikawa, The Tokyo Shimbun, 1996, p.144, no.63.

Category: Asian Art / Japanese Art

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