 | Japanese Color Woodblock PrintDainagon Yukinarifrom the series Instructive Models of Lofty Ambitionby Inoue Yasuji, 1902 |  |
 |  (Please click on the image for a detailed view) |
About This Print
This 1902 re-issued print from the series Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition pictures Fujiwara no Sanekata (藤原実方), in the black robe, glaring at the seated Dainagon1 Yukinari (大納言行成) whose kanmuri (冠 lacqured hat) he has just knocked off. Yukinari, seated on the floor, wears a surprised look as his hand searches for his hat which now lies on the floor. For the original issue of this print see IHL Cat. #1402.While the print is known by the title Dainagon Yukinari, whose hat was knocked off, the incident is more associated with Fujiwara no Sanekata who was banished by the emperor to a northern province for this act.
The 1902 re-issued series of prints eliminated the brocade borders of the original series issued between 1885 and 1890.
1 Dainagon - a title of a high officer in the ancient Imperial Court. Dainagon (大納言) was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. This ancient office would have been roughly equivalent to that of vice-minister in the modern cabinet system.
The Story of Fujiwara no Sanekata and His Banishment
Source: GloPADs Japanese Performing Arts Resource Center and other sources.Fujiwara no Sanekata (d. 998-999) was a Middle Captain of the Inner Palace Guards, a position of high rank, and a well-known poet. In the year 995, in retaliation for being mocked by Fujiwara no Yukinari 藤原の行成 (Dainagon Yukinari)1, he knocked off Yukinari's kanmuri (lacquered cap) with his shaku 笏 (ritual sceptor) in the Imperial Palace Courtiers’ Hall. Emperor Ichijō 一条天皇 (r. 986-1011), who favored Yukinari2, punished Sanekata by demoting him to governor of the distant Northern province of Mutsu 陸奥, effectively sending him into exile. It is said that he was told to investigate the uta-makura (poetic place names 歌枕) of Mutsu, to spend his time finding new material for his poems. At about the age of 40, Sanekata fell from his horse and died.
1 According to a story in Kojidan [a collection of setsuwa (legends and folktales) authored by Minamoto no Akikane between 1212 and 1215], Yukinari mocked Sanekata for continuing to look at cherry blossoms in the rain, when others were seeking shelter.
2 It is said that Yukinari was promoted to head of the imperial archives.
Transcription of Scroll
Source: with thanks to Yajifun http://yajifun.tumblr.com/4 Fujiwara no Yukinari 大納言行成
教導立志基 四 大納言行成 井上探景（安治） 1886年
Transcription:
大納言行成、未だ殿上人たる時、中将実方、殿上にて会ひたるに何事も言（いハ）ず行成の冠を打ち落し小庭に擲（なげう）ちたり。行成周章（あわて）たる色なく徐（しづ）かに主殿司を呼て冠を取せ之をかむりて容（かたち）を正し、何の故をもてかかる乱行に預る事か更に合点ゆかず。先（まづ）その故を承りて後、如何とも致し候はん、と穏かに言けれバ実方一言の答なく座を立たる折節、一條帝、潜（ひそか）に御覧あつて行成ハ優なる者なりとて多く人を超え蔵人頭に任ぜらる。実方ハ其行為、穏かならずとて陸奥の国へ遣されたり 柳窓外史記
click on image to enlarge
About The Series "Kyōdō risshi no motoi"
Notes:1. This series is variously translated as "Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition," "Foundations of Learning and Achievement," "Foundation of Instruction and Perseverance," "Self-Made Men Worthy of Emulation," "Paragons of Instruction and Success," "Moral of Success," "Examples of Self-Made Leaders," and "Instruction in the Fundamentals of Success." The title in Japanese is sometimes seen as "Kyōdō risshiki or "Kyōdō risshi no moto," in addition to the most commonly seen transliteration of "Kyōdō risshi no motoi".2. For a complete listing of all the prints in the series and additional information please see the article on this site titled Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition.
This series ran between October 1885 and November 1890 and featured a long list of heroes and heroines, from antiquity to contemporary times, who were regarded as standards of moral leadership and self-realization.
Source: Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan, Henry D. Smith II, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1988, p. 74-75; original research and as footnoted.
This series of 58 prints,1 plus a table of contents sheet (目録), were originally published between October 1885 and November 1890 by the Tokyo publisher Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉.2 The table of contents sheet issued by the publisher states that "fifty prints make up the complete set (五十番揃)". Three prints not in the initial release were added over the five year publication period, as were five redesigns of original prints, eventually increasing the total print count to 58. The seven artists contributing prints were Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) [20 prints], Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908) [16 prints], Inoue Tankei (Yasuji) (1864-1889) [13 prints], Taiso (Tsukioka) Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) [5 prints], Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912) [2 prints], Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) [1 print], and Hachisuka (Utagawa) Kuniaki II (1835-1888) [1 print]. All the artists, with the exception of Yōshū Chikanobu, are listed in the top scroll of the table of contents sheet. Various colors (including blue, blue/green, and tan/brown) were used for the decorative border, and in 1902 the series was re-issued by Matsuki without borders.
Brief texts contained within a scroll-like cartouche appearing on each print provide historical details. The scroll composer's name is given at the end of the scroll text. The “lofty ambition” of the title is a Confucian concept, originally from Mencius, meaning “righteous determination that would inspire others.” The market for the series probably included former samurai, ambitious youth, and conservative intellectuals.
"[W]hen it was completed in 1890 the publisher was singled out for special recognition by the government for having sponsored such noble subject matter."3
This series ran between October 1885 and November 1890 and featured a long list of heroes and heroines, from antiquity to contemporary times, who were regarded as standards of moral leadership and self-realization.
Source: Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan, Henry D. Smith II, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1988, p. 74-75; original research and as footnoted.
This series of 58 prints,1 plus a table of contents sheet (目録), were originally published between October 1885 and November 1890 by the Tokyo publisher Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉.2 The table of contents sheet issued by the publisher states that "fifty prints make up the complete set (五十番揃)". Three prints not in the initial release were added over the five year publication period, as were five redesigns of original prints, eventually increasing the total print count to 58. The seven artists contributing prints were Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) [20 prints], Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908) [16 prints], Inoue Tankei (Yasuji) (1864-1889) [13 prints], Taiso (Tsukioka) Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) [5 prints], Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912) [2 prints], Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) [1 print], and Hachisuka (Utagawa) Kuniaki II (1835-1888) [1 print]. All the artists, with the exception of Yōshū Chikanobu, are listed in the top scroll of the table of contents sheet. Various colors (including blue, blue/green, and tan/brown) were used for the decorative border, and in 1902 the series was re-issued by Matsuki without borders.
This series of 58 prints,1 plus a table of contents sheet (目録), were originally published between October 1885 and November 1890 by the Tokyo publisher Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉.2 The table of contents sheet issued by the publisher states that "fifty prints make up the complete set (五十番揃)". Three prints not in the initial release were added over the five year publication period, as were five redesigns of original prints, eventually increasing the total print count to 58. The seven artists contributing prints were Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) [20 prints], Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908) [16 prints], Inoue Tankei (Yasuji) (1864-1889) [13 prints], Taiso (Tsukioka) Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) [5 prints], Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912) [2 prints], Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) [1 print], and Hachisuka (Utagawa) Kuniaki II (1835-1888) [1 print]. All the artists, with the exception of Yōshū Chikanobu, are listed in the top scroll of the table of contents sheet. Various colors (including blue, blue/green, and tan/brown) were used for the decorative border, and in 1902 the series was re-issued by Matsuki without borders.
Brief texts contained within a scroll-like cartouche appearing on each print provide historical details. The scroll composer's name is given at the end of the scroll text. The “lofty ambition” of the title is a Confucian concept, originally from Mencius, meaning “righteous determination that would inspire others.” The market for the series probably included former samurai, ambitious youth, and conservative intellectuals.
"[W]hen it was completed in 1890 the publisher was singled out for special recognition by the government for having sponsored such noble subject matter."3
1 The Tokyo Metropolitan Library online collection shows 50 prints and a Table of Contents sheet. The Table of Contents lists the titles of 50 prints. Smith in Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan identified 52 prints. I have identified 58 prints from this series including five prints (Ikina, Michizane Sugiwara, Kesa Gozen, Soga Brothers and Hokiichi Hanawa) that were re-designed and re-printed, likely due to damaged or lost blocks.
2 Robert Schaap notes in Appendix II, p. 166 of Yoshitoshi, Masterpieces from the Ed Freis Collection, Chris Uhlenbeck and Amy Reigle Newland, Hotei Publishing, 2011 that the series originally appeared as newspaper supplements.
3 The World of the Meiji Print: Impressions of a New Civilization, Julia Meech-Pekarik, Weatherhill, 1986, p. 122.
1 The Tokyo Metropolitan Library online collection shows 50 prints and a Table of Contents sheet. The Table of Contents lists the titles of 50 prints. Smith in Kiyochika Artist of Meiji Japan identified 52 prints. I have identified 58 prints from this series including five prints (Ikina, Michizane Sugiwara, Kesa Gozen, Soga Brothers and Hokiichi Hanawa) that were re-designed and re-printed, likely due to damaged or lost blocks.
2 Robert Schaap notes in Appendix II, p. 166 of Yoshitoshi, Masterpieces from the Ed Freis Collection, Chris Uhlenbeck and Amy Reigle Newland, Hotei Publishing, 2011 that the series originally appeared as newspaper supplements.
3 The World of the Meiji Print: Impressions of a New Civilization, Julia Meech-Pekarik, Weatherhill, 1986, p. 122.
Original Printings
 |  Tokyo Metropolitan Library 280-K033 |
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #601 |
| Title or Description | Dainagon Yukinari 大納言行成 |
| Series | “Instructive Models of Lofty Ambition” (Kyodo risshiki 教導立志基) [note: seriestitle also listed as 'Kyodo Risshi no Moto', ‘Kyodo risshi no motoi’,‘Kyōdō risshi ki’ and variously translated as “Moral of success” or“Foundations of learning and achievement” or “Self-made Men Worthy ofEmulation”' or “Examples of Self-made Leaders” or "Paragons of instruction and success"] |
| Artist | Inoue Yasuji (1864-1889) |
| Signature |  Inoue Tankei 井上探景 |
| Seal | Tankei 探景 seal below signature, as shown above |
| Publication Date | Initial publication date 1886. This print re-issued August 5, 1902 (明治三十五年 八月 五日 as printed in left margin). |
| Publisher |  right column: 明治三十五年 八月 五日 印刷 [Meiji 35th year 8th month 5th day, printing] 仝 年 仝月 十日 發行 [Meiji 35th year 8th month 10th day, delivered] 印刷兼発行者 [printing and publishing] 東京市日本橋區吉川町二番地 [Tokyo Nihonbashi Honmachi Nichōme 2-banchi]電話 (浪花) 二千二百八十六 番 [telephone number] 松木平吉 [Matsuki Heikichi]  大平 [Daikokuya "daihei" seal] |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - full size; Japanese album backing paper; soiling and minor toning. |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; rishki-e; kyōiku nishiki-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 x 9 1/4 in. (35.6 x 23.5 cm) |
| H x W Image | 12 1/2 x 8 1/8 in. (31.2 x 20.6 cm |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print |
12/16/2020
4/28/2020
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