Yoshitoshi - Lady Chiyo

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

From his most famous series; One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: no. 74. The print and the poem in its cartouche depict the poetess Lady Chiyo (1703-1775) who started composing haiku at the age of fifteen. With guidance from the haiku master Shiko, she gained wide renown as a poet before becoming a nun in her fifties. The image of the spilling water references her most famous poem, composed after asagao (lit. morning face) tendrils grew around her water-bucket.

Asagao ni tsurube torarete moraimizu
Morning-glories have taken my bucket so I ask for water.

"The bottom of the bucket, which Lady Chiyo filled has fallen out, the moon has no home in the water."

Condition: Print color and overall condition is very good. Print is backed with paper.

Publisher: Akiyama Buemon

Date: 1889

Size: Oban tate-e 13 7/8 by 9 1/2 in., 35.2 by 24.1 cm

Genre: Ukiyo-e

Medium: Original woodblock print