About This Print
One of two known prints in the series Selections from Japanese History, issued by the little-known publisher Yazawa Hisakichi 矢沢久吉. This triptych pictures the tale of a woodcutter from Mino whose filial piety brought about a visit by the Empress Gensho 元正天皇 (reign 715-724). On the left we see the woodcutter and his father in front of Yōrō Falls paying reverence to the Empress in her palanquin who has come to see the reported miracle of the falls' water turning into sake.The Woodcutter's Miracle
As told in the Zenken kojitsu1, during the 8th century a poor woodcutter went to the forest for firewood to warm his sick father. While searching, he came upon a waterfall whose water magically turned into sake. Filling his gourd he returns home to his ailing father who drinks the sake and miraculously recovers.
Hearing about this miracle, Empress Gensho visited the waterfall herself and determined that the miracle was a reward for the filial piety of the woodcutter. In honor of this miracle the Empress renamed the year of her reign "Yōrō", for the location of the waterfall.2
The Other Known Print from the Series
源義家誠弓力 日本歴史抜撰
Minamoto no Yoshiie and His Powerful True Bow
from the series Nihon rekeshi batsu sen
1892
published by Yazawa Hisakichi
1 The Zenken kojitsu 前賢故実 by the artist Kikuchi Yosai 菊池容斎 (1788-1878) was published in 10 parts, each part made up of 2 volumes, for total of 20 vols over the period 1836-1868. It consists of 585 portraits and biographies and had a great impact on historical art of the Meiji period. It was heavily drawn upon by Meiji-ear woodblock artists such as Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) for their own historical works.
2 Yōrō Falls is located in modern-day Yōrō, Yōrō District, Gifu
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1518 |
| Title | 美濃樵夫 Mino no kikori The Woodcutter from Mino |
| Series | 日本歴史抜撰 Nihon rekeshi batsu sen Selections from Japanese History (also seen translated as Selected Japanese History) |
| Artist | Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal | none |
| Date | 1895 June Meiji 28, 6th Month |
| Publisher | Yazawa Hisakichi 矢沢久吉 [Marks: pub. ref. 620] - publisher's mark appearing in the left margin has been trimmed from this print |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - trimmed; backed; three separate sheets; minor soiling and toning |
| Genre | ukiyo-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban triptych |
| H x W Paper | 14 1/4 x 9 3/4 in. (36.2 x 24.8 cm) each sheet |
| Collections This Print | |
| Reference Literature | |
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