Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)
The Fourth Month (Uzuki - 卯月) from the series The Twelve Months (Jūnika tsuki no uchi - 十二ヶ月の内) - Mitsuuji and his lover Fuji no Kata
1851
10 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) color woodblock print; ōban
Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊国画)
Publisher: Minatoya Kohei (Marks 332 - seal 24-074)
Censor seals: Mera and Watanabe
Ukiyoe ni kiku
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
National Diet Library If you look closely at this print you will notice that Mitsuuji and Fuji no Kata are wearing matching outfits. Nothing says love more than matching outfits. Or, the bundle of tissues that Fuji no Kata is holding by her teeth. This was a common sexual allusion in early 19th century prints of courtesans.
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Uzuki refers to the unohana month - u-no-hana being particular genus of flowering plant, deutzia.
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Notice the sasarindō motif on the robe of Mitsuuji who is leaning down read a letter. Since this mon was said to be the personal crest of the Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147-99) it could not be a crest used at the time of the writing of the Tale of Genji. The kanji for Minamoto 源 is the same character used for the name Genji. They are interchangeable.
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The name Fuji no Kata is also used in the kabuki play Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki where a character by that name is said to be the mother of Taira no Atsumori, a 12th century warrior who died at a far too early age. Is the use of Mitsuuji's lover based on this kabuki figure or not? We don't know.
Minatoya Kohei (湊屋小兵衛) (publisher)
Genji related prints (Genji-e - 源氏絵) (genre)
Ryūtei Tanehiko (柳亭種彦) (author)