Japanese Poem Kuniyoshi Print

This print is taken from an anthology of 100 poems by 100 poets during 13 century which is called Hyaku-nin isshu (百人一首). The poems are all five-line poems of 31 syllables arranged in 5, 7, 5, 7, and 7. This form was known as waka and is now known as tanka. She is number 16 in this series. This print is inspired by a poem by Yukihara Chunagon (-893), private advisor to several emperors. He is the governor of Inaba province. The poem is: tachi wakare Inaba no gama no Mine ni ofuru Matsu to shi kikaba Ima kaeri-kon To be separated, if I hear The pines, growing on the peaks Of Inaba's mountain, (I shall) return immediately This poem is expressed the strong bond that binds the poet to his native land. Kuniyoshi represented the pine mountain in the distance but also the mikochi which is used during matsuri (Shinto festivals) for the local deities. This reinforces the idea of the link with love for one's native land, both forests and mountains, but also these gods. Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861), 歌川国芳, Son of a silk dyer, he was born in 1797 under the name of Yoshizo. In his youth, he probably assisted his father, providing the drawings for the pieces to be dyed, and thus naturally oriented himself towards the world of art. He was accepted as a student by Toyokuni Utagawa in 1814. Later, he founded his own school and his drawings became popular. , poetic and warrior whose strong influence is found in his work. He is the author of 10,000 prints and several series. The great earthquake of 1855, after which, returning home late, he had been given for dead by his family and the members of his workshop, marked the end of his great period. Suffering from illness and depression, he now produced little. He died in Edo in 1861.