Remanufacturing of the composition in the Hyakunin isshu eshō by Utagawa Toyokuni Ⅲ

Abstract

The Hyakunin isshu eshō is a series of ukiyoe consisting of illustrations by Utagawa Toyokuni III (1786–1865) to the medieval poetry anthology of “Waka poems by one hundred poets”. It has become known as a series of woodblock prints with women from the pleasure districts as its central topic as well as with motives from the lives of townspeople, and until now, it has been interpreted as such. A comparison with the illustrations of the famous Nise Murasaki inaka Genji (“A false Murasaki and a rustic Genji”, published between 1829 and 1842), written by Ryūtei Tanehiko (1783–1842) and illustrated by the same Toyokuni III, shows that the artist used not only the same motives but also the templates with small alterations, adapting them to the poems. The following paper argues that in view of these findings, a new evaluation of the Hyakunin isshu eshō is needed.