Home‎ > ‎Artists‎ > ‎Utagawa Kunimasa IV (1848-1920)‎ > ‎

Illustration of [The Emperor’s Carriage] Departing the Imperial Palace [over] Nijūbashi

Kaidan Tsuki no Kasamori
 

 Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Illustration of [The Emperor’s Carriage] Departing

the Imperial Palace [over] Nijūbashi

by Utagawa Kunimasa IV, 1889

Kabuki-za Sangatsu Kyogen


IHL Cat. #1978

About This Print

A glaring red sky1 heralds the departure of the Emperor and Empress from the Imperial Palace. After the promulgation ceremony of the constitution in themain hall of the Meiji Palace on February 11, 1889, the Emperor and Empress headedfor the military parade at the Aoyama Drill Hall. In the center of the print is Nijūbashi Bridge and in the upper right is the Imperial Palace.

For a view of the ceremony itself see the print Illustration of the Ceremony for the Promulgation of the Constitution of Great Japan.

Numerous print designs were created depicting the royal Phoenix carriage departing from the Imperial Palace.  Most related to the ceremonies around the promulgation of the new Meiji constitution on February 11, 1889 which took effect on November 29 of the same year.  A few examples of these prints are shown below.

Promulgation of the Constitution: The Emperor Leaving the Palace,
憲法発布　皇居御出門之図
Yōshū Chikanobu, March 1, 1889
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 2000.277a-c

 
Illustration of the Imperial Carriage,
御鳳輦之図
Utagawa Kunitoshi, February 1889
Metropolitan Museum of Art, JP3230
 
Picture of the Departure of the Phoenix Carriage
御鳳輦御出門之圖
Yōshū Chikanobu, 1889

Imperial Procession through the Streets after the Ceremony of the Promulgation of the Constitution (right sheet), The Phoenix Carriage at the Great Celebration of the Constitution Ceremony (left sheet),
「憲法発布式後　市街御幸之図」（右）
「憲法式　大祭鳳凰御輦之図」（左）
Yōshū Chikanobu, February 6, 1889
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 2000.276a-c
Illustration of the Emperor's Carriage Departing the Imperial Palace over Nijubashi for the Promulgation of the Constitution
憲法発布宮城二重橋御出門之図
Yōshū Chikanobu, 1889
Tokyo Metropolitan Library

1 According to Higuchi Hiroshi in the Bakumatsu Meiji Kaikaki no Nishikie Hanga, "these glaring red, blue and purple base colors [all imported aniline dyes] show the growth of the Meiji Era and are truly indicative of the products of this age of growth", or in other words, these bright colors represented modernity and the Meiji government's aggressive drive for modernization.

Print Details

 IHL Catalog #1978
 Title (Description) Illustration of [The Emperor’s Carriage] Departing the Imperial Palace [over] Nijūbashi
 宮城御出門貳重橋圖 [宮城御出門二重橋図]
 Artist Utagawa Kunimasa IV (1848-1920)
 Signature
香朝楼国貞筆 Kōchōrō Kunisada hitsu
 Seal 
 Publication Date 明治二十二年三月 日 March 1889 (Meiji 22, 3rd month) see top of publisher's seal below
 Publisher
Hasegawa Sonokichi 長谷川園吉 [Marks: seal not shown; pub. ref. 101]

印刷兼発行者
日本橋区 小傳馬町三丁 目 十七バンチ 
長谷川園吉
printer and publisher
Nihonbashi-ku Kotenmachō sanchōme 17-banchi
Hasegawa Sonokichi
  
 Impression excellent
 Colors excellent
 Condition good - almost full size; removed from album backing; minor paper damage repaired verso
 Genre nishiki-e; kaika-e
 Miscellaneous 
 Format vertical ōban triptych
 H x W Paper 
 R: 14 1/4 x 9 1/8 in. (36.2 x 23.2 cm) 
 C: 14 1/4 x 9 1/2 in. (36.2 x 24.1 cm) 
 L: 14 1/4 x 9 3/8 in. (36.2 x 23.8 cm)
 H x W Image R: 14 1/16 x 9 1/8 in. (35.7 x 23.2 cm)
 C: 14 x 9 1/2 in. (35.6 x 24.1 cm)
 L: 13 7/8 x 8 15/16 (35.2 x 22.7 cm)
 Literature 
 
 Collections This Print

last revision:
8/25/2021
6/21/2021
4/1/2020
2/8/2020
12/26/2018