Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Port Townsend, Washington

KITAGAWA UTAMARO

北川歌麿

きたがわうたまろ

 1753-1806

  Title: "Contemporary Children as the Six Immortal Poets"

Tosei kodomo rokkasen

当世子供六撰 (?)

とうせいこどもろかせん

 Subject: A child as Ōtomo (no) Kuronushi

大伴黒主

おおとも (の) くろぬし

 Date: 1800-04

Publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei

和泉屋市兵衛

いずみや.いちべ え

Signature: Utamaro hitsu

Seal: Kiwame

Size: 15 3/8" x 10 1/2"

There are two other copies of this print in the

Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

SOLD!

MANY THANKS!

Hours after I posted this Utamaro print on October 1, 2005 two generous contributors contacted me regarding the dating, title and subject matter. It seems I had made several mistakes. E., who has added so much to this site, questioned both the dating and the title. He suggested that based on hairstyles alone this print was probably published about ten years later than I had stated. He was correct. Eikei, another correspondent, was in complete agreement on several points and helped with the translation of the title. But he did something else which was extremely illuminating. He searched the on-line data banks at the FAMSF site and found three other images by Utamaro from this delightful series. Those represent children as stand-ins for Henjo Sojo, Ariwara no Narihira, and Funya Yasuhide.

Now we know what four of them look like. All we have to do is locate the other two which I am sure exist somewhere.

FAMSF stands for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. It is a great resource for collectors, scholars and students and worth a visit by all.

WHAT IS THAT THING THE BABY IS WEARING

ON HIS HEAD AND WHY IS IT THERE?

At first glance the 'thing' strapped to the little boy's head appears to be a funnel. It doesn't have to be, but it sure looks like one. But why it is there? To me it looks like something that should top off the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. I am not alone in thinking this. And what about that stick coming out of his right sleeve. That looks like part of the Scarecrow. However, these graphic choices aren't haphazard. Unfortunately Utamaro is no longer around to tell us what they mean.

Surely the 'funnel hat' with its black appendage is meant to act as a jerry-rigged imitation of a ninth century court costume. However, I wouldn't swear to it. It could represent the 'hat' worn by a Shinto priest.

If anyone out there knows for sure please contact me. I am working in the dark on this one.