CATALOGUE OF THE EXHIBITION - ITEMS 298 TO 307
Titles with the mark denote titles of the series while the mark denotes the sub-title. Those titles without any mark are the additions of the compiler of the catalogue.

RELICS AND ARTICLES OF REFERENCE.

 

 

Exhibitors

298.

 

Hiroshige's Family tablet, 10½ ins. by 3 ins. inscribed with his posthumous Buddhist name styled Genko-in Tokuo Ryusai Koji () in the middle and from the right to the left side, the date of his death,
September 6 in the 5th year of Ansei (1858). The tablet is black lacquer.

Mr. K. Kikuchi

 

 

 

299.

 

Register of the dead members of the House of Ando (Hiroshige's family name).

Do.

 

 

 

300.

 

Hiroshige's seals, numbering 17, 15 of which are of stone and the rest of wood. Most of them seem to have belonged to Hiroshige II. and Hiroshige III.

These three sets of articles were originally kept by Mr. Seifu Shimizu for Hiroshige III. When Mr. Kiichiro Kikuchi, a friend of Mr. Shimizu's who is closely related to the House of Ando succeeded Hiroshige III as Hiroshige IV in December 1911, he took them over from Mr. Shimizu. (The compiler is indebted to Mr. Kikuchi for kindly allowing him to insert the printed impressions of these seals specially in the English catalogue).
Mr. Kikuchi was born in 1848. He teaches caligraphy at his own home at Hon-Shirokanecho, Nihonbashi, not being a specialist in painting. He succeeded to the title of Hiroshige in order to keep the family from becoming extinct. Thus he inherited the family tablet for the House of Ando before which he daily offers prayers.

Do.

 

 

 

301.

 

Hiroshige's death-song rapidly written by himself on a piece of letter paper, 7½ ins. by 8½ ins. See plate No. 2.

Autograph writing of Hiroshige's death-song:
"Azumaji ni fude wo nokoshite tabi no sora ; Nishi no Mikuni no Nadokoro wo min."

Translation:
"Dropping my brush at Azuma (Eastern capital) I go a journey to the honorable country in the west (Buddhist Paradise is supposed to be in the West) to view the wonderful sights there."

This poem is inscribed on Hiroshige's portrait by Toyokuni III.

Mr. M. Uchida

 

 

 

302.

 

Hiroshige's door-plate, made of wood and inscribed as
(Ichiryusai-Hiroshige). 12 ins. by 4½ ins.

Mr. M. Uchida

 

 

 

303.

 

Short Sword worn by Hiroshige. Measuring by 9½ ins., the blade is made of whale bone. On one side there is an inscription reading (Safe all through life) by Okajima-Rinsai and on the other a seventeen syllabled verse by Hiroshige himself, in letters of gold lacquer which have partly worn out and are therefore illegible.

Do.

 

 

 

304.

 

Wooden Image of Toyohiro, Coloured image 12½ ins. in height representing Toyohiro in sitting posture wearing haori and hakama. This is known to have belonged to Hiroshige who was his pupil.

Mrs. Y. Yamamoto

 

 

 

305.

 

Book of a few pages showing Hiroshige's signatures represented by the seals referred to at No. 300.

Mr. T. Hirose

 

 

 

306.

 

Kakemono, composed of various pictures and writings including invitations to meetings for painting. Among them is a sheet of hosho paper of quarto size, 10½ ins. by 7½ ins., on which there are written in order (Utagawa-Toyoharu), the founder of the Utagawa School and (Toyohiro) and a little downwards, (Pupil Hiroshige) dated (September in the 9th year of Bunka (1812). This is a certificate given to Hiroshige by Toyohiro granting him the use of his artistic name: a sort of matriculation card.

Do.

 

 

 

307.

 

Yomiji no tabi nori no Michizure (). 1 sheet.
This is a copy of papers sold by hawkers giving comments on various noted people who died from the cholera epidemic that raged throughout the city of Yedo in 1853. Referring to the death of Hiroshige, the comment is: "Hiroshige's death cannot be too much deplored."

Mr. S. Sakai