Toyokuni II | Descending Geese at Miho, Eight Views of Scenic Spots
二代歌川豐國（歌川豐重）Utagawa Toyokuni II (Toyoshige) (1777–1835)
名胜八景 三保落雁
Descending Geese at Miho from the series of Eight Views of Scenic Spots in Kanagawa
1833-34
木版画 | 横绘大判 | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
Woodblock-print | Yoko tata-e | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
早期版次，带漂亮的木纹；颜色保存完好，特别是标题章的紫色颜料；整体品相非常好，左边边缘经轻微修剪
Fine impression with beautiful woodgrain and strong color, particularly the purple pigment in the title cartouche, which is usually faded; very slight trim to the left margin, otherwise in good condition.
$9,500
初代丰国去世后，弟子歌川丰重继承了师名，改称“二代丰国”。他的浮世绘多为役者绘，这套《神奈川名胜八景》是他一生中唯一的风景画系列，完成于1833-34年，也就是他去世前两年，是他晚年完成的转型名作。虽然二代丰国的名气远不如初代丰国或他的弟子国贞，但就这套作品来说，我觉得毫不逊色。
二代丰国从山上俯瞰海湾与远处的富士山，构图开阔大气。画面左侧是一座矮山，远处富士山在群山包围中巍峨耸立，右侧三保半岛植被葱茏，蜿蜒指向大海。中景海面上，几十艘大小船只散布其间，近处则是堆满了货物的港口和等待卸货的船队。虽然画中几乎看不到人物，但仅靠几只小船和象征船工的黑点，二代丰国就勾勒出了一个繁忙又充满烟火气的港口。
远景中的富士山更是画面的灵魂所在。它开创性的放弃了轮廓勾线，仅用浅浅的蓝色晕染成山体，山顶更是干脆留白，让和纸本身的白成为了覆盖山顶的白雪。这种画法让人联想到中国画中的“没骨法”，在以印刷白描线稿为第一步工序的浮世绘中极其少见，充满灵气。与北斋笔下线条硬朗明快、强调力量感的富士山相比，二代丰国笔下的富士山有着截然不同的柔美与空灵。
画中的风景已经足够动人，但这张画的品相更让人惊叹。围绕着海岸线，摺师用普鲁士蓝晕染出一圈深蓝、水蓝、浅蓝色的渐变，用颜色表现出了大海的幽深辽阔，技术精湛至极。画的保存状态更是无可挑剔，非常容易褪色的紫色颜料在这张画中仍然清晰浓艳，画纸也没有破损和污渍，这样状态极佳的画作真是难得一见。
Toyokuni II was a student of the great Toyokuni who mostly focused on prints of beautiful women. He completed only one series of landscapes – “Eight Views of Famous Spots in Kanagawa” —but it is a masterpiece, a remarkable set of prints. Bold, with extraordinarily modern designs, it was published in the 1830s just as Hokusai and Hiroshige (also a member of the Utagawa school) were making landscapes popular.
And this is considered by some to be the masterpiece among those masterpieces. Toyokuni II gives us a sprawling and expansive view of the seaside south of Edo, a dramatic vista of sea and craggy mountains, and one we appreciate as if we were a hawk up in the clouds.
He gives awesome power and size to Mount Fuji – by not showing the top of Fuji; instead, the snowy summit is rendered in relief, free of key-block lines. Beautiful woodgrain adds a subtle texture to the distant scene. Extraordinary.
One thing that makes this example especially interesting — and desirable — is the purple in the cartouche. Often, this has faded to a tan-ish color but here the purple is as strong as the day it was printed.
Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.
二代歌川豐國（歌川豐重）Utagawa Toyokuni II (Toyoshige) (1777–1835)
名胜八景 三保落雁
Descending Geese at Miho from the series of Eight Views of Scenic Spots in Kanagawa
1833-34
木版画 | 横绘大判 | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
Woodblock-print | Yoko tata-e | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
早期版次，带漂亮的木纹；颜色保存完好，特别是标题章的紫色颜料；整体品相非常好，左边边缘经轻微修剪
Fine impression with beautiful woodgrain and strong color, particularly the purple pigment in the title cartouche, which is usually faded; very slight trim to the left margin, otherwise in good condition.
$9,500
初代丰国去世后，弟子歌川丰重继承了师名，改称“二代丰国”。他的浮世绘多为役者绘，这套《神奈川名胜八景》是他一生中唯一的风景画系列，完成于1833-34年，也就是他去世前两年，是他晚年完成的转型名作。虽然二代丰国的名气远不如初代丰国或他的弟子国贞，但就这套作品来说，我觉得毫不逊色。
二代丰国从山上俯瞰海湾与远处的富士山，构图开阔大气。画面左侧是一座矮山，远处富士山在群山包围中巍峨耸立，右侧三保半岛植被葱茏，蜿蜒指向大海。中景海面上，几十艘大小船只散布其间，近处则是堆满了货物的港口和等待卸货的船队。虽然画中几乎看不到人物，但仅靠几只小船和象征船工的黑点，二代丰国就勾勒出了一个繁忙又充满烟火气的港口。
远景中的富士山更是画面的灵魂所在。它开创性的放弃了轮廓勾线，仅用浅浅的蓝色晕染成山体，山顶更是干脆留白，让和纸本身的白成为了覆盖山顶的白雪。这种画法让人联想到中国画中的“没骨法”，在以印刷白描线稿为第一步工序的浮世绘中极其少见，充满灵气。与北斋笔下线条硬朗明快、强调力量感的富士山相比，二代丰国笔下的富士山有着截然不同的柔美与空灵。
画中的风景已经足够动人，但这张画的品相更让人惊叹。围绕着海岸线，摺师用普鲁士蓝晕染出一圈深蓝、水蓝、浅蓝色的渐变，用颜色表现出了大海的幽深辽阔，技术精湛至极。画的保存状态更是无可挑剔，非常容易褪色的紫色颜料在这张画中仍然清晰浓艳，画纸也没有破损和污渍，这样状态极佳的画作真是难得一见。
Toyokuni II was a student of the great Toyokuni who mostly focused on prints of beautiful women. He completed only one series of landscapes – “Eight Views of Famous Spots in Kanagawa” —but it is a masterpiece, a remarkable set of prints. Bold, with extraordinarily modern designs, it was published in the 1830s just as Hokusai and Hiroshige (also a member of the Utagawa school) were making landscapes popular.
And this is considered by some to be the masterpiece among those masterpieces. Toyokuni II gives us a sprawling and expansive view of the seaside south of Edo, a dramatic vista of sea and craggy mountains, and one we appreciate as if we were a hawk up in the clouds.
He gives awesome power and size to Mount Fuji – by not showing the top of Fuji; instead, the snowy summit is rendered in relief, free of key-block lines. Beautiful woodgrain adds a subtle texture to the distant scene. Extraordinary.
One thing that makes this example especially interesting — and desirable — is the purple in the cartouche. Often, this has faded to a tan-ish color but here the purple is as strong as the day it was printed.
Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.
二代歌川豐國（歌川豐重）Utagawa Toyokuni II (Toyoshige) (1777–1835)
名胜八景 三保落雁
Descending Geese at Miho from the series of Eight Views of Scenic Spots in Kanagawa
1833-34
木版画 | 横绘大判 | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
Woodblock-print | Yoko tata-e | 25.5cm x 37.7cm
早期版次，带漂亮的木纹；颜色保存完好，特别是标题章的紫色颜料；整体品相非常好，左边边缘经轻微修剪
Fine impression with beautiful woodgrain and strong color, particularly the purple pigment in the title cartouche, which is usually faded; very slight trim to the left margin, otherwise in good condition.
$9,500
初代丰国去世后，弟子歌川丰重继承了师名，改称“二代丰国”。他的浮世绘多为役者绘，这套《神奈川名胜八景》是他一生中唯一的风景画系列，完成于1833-34年，也就是他去世前两年，是他晚年完成的转型名作。虽然二代丰国的名气远不如初代丰国或他的弟子国贞，但就这套作品来说，我觉得毫不逊色。
二代丰国从山上俯瞰海湾与远处的富士山，构图开阔大气。画面左侧是一座矮山，远处富士山在群山包围中巍峨耸立，右侧三保半岛植被葱茏，蜿蜒指向大海。中景海面上，几十艘大小船只散布其间，近处则是堆满了货物的港口和等待卸货的船队。虽然画中几乎看不到人物，但仅靠几只小船和象征船工的黑点，二代丰国就勾勒出了一个繁忙又充满烟火气的港口。
远景中的富士山更是画面的灵魂所在。它开创性的放弃了轮廓勾线，仅用浅浅的蓝色晕染成山体，山顶更是干脆留白，让和纸本身的白成为了覆盖山顶的白雪。这种画法让人联想到中国画中的“没骨法”，在以印刷白描线稿为第一步工序的浮世绘中极其少见，充满灵气。与北斋笔下线条硬朗明快、强调力量感的富士山相比，二代丰国笔下的富士山有着截然不同的柔美与空灵。
画中的风景已经足够动人，但这张画的品相更让人惊叹。围绕着海岸线，摺师用普鲁士蓝晕染出一圈深蓝、水蓝、浅蓝色的渐变，用颜色表现出了大海的幽深辽阔，技术精湛至极。画的保存状态更是无可挑剔，非常容易褪色的紫色颜料在这张画中仍然清晰浓艳，画纸也没有破损和污渍，这样状态极佳的画作真是难得一见。
Toyokuni II was a student of the great Toyokuni who mostly focused on prints of beautiful women. He completed only one series of landscapes – “Eight Views of Famous Spots in Kanagawa” —but it is a masterpiece, a remarkable set of prints. Bold, with extraordinarily modern designs, it was published in the 1830s just as Hokusai and Hiroshige (also a member of the Utagawa school) were making landscapes popular.
And this is considered by some to be the masterpiece among those masterpieces. Toyokuni II gives us a sprawling and expansive view of the seaside south of Edo, a dramatic vista of sea and craggy mountains, and one we appreciate as if we were a hawk up in the clouds.
He gives awesome power and size to Mount Fuji – by not showing the top of Fuji; instead, the snowy summit is rendered in relief, free of key-block lines. Beautiful woodgrain adds a subtle texture to the distant scene. Extraordinary.
One thing that makes this example especially interesting — and desirable — is the purple in the cartouche. Often, this has faded to a tan-ish color but here the purple is as strong as the day it was printed.
Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.
Utagawa Toyokuni II (Toyoshige) (1777-1835)
Toyoshige was born in 1777 and not a great deal is known about him, but he did cause something of a scandal in the Utagawa school. He stole a name, or so the legend goes.
He joined Toyokuni’s studio at age 1818, and had a specialty in actor prints and surimono, although his output was low. He was adopted by the master in 1824. But a year later the master died, and that’s where the trouble began.
Toyoshige became Toyokuni II. But did the first Toyokuni bestow the name on him, or did he just take it for himself? No one knows. But Toyokuni’s most famous and successful student, Kunisada, was reportedly quite angry that he had to be Toyokuni III. But it was what it was.
Toyoshige was a perfectly competent print designer. But there is another interesting twist to his story. He completed only one series of landscapes – “Eight Famous Views of Kanagawa.” (I have also seen it listed as “Eight Famous Views” or “Eight Famous Views of Shrines.”) It is a masterpiece, a remarkable set of prints. Bold, with extraordinarily modern designs, it was published in the 1830s just as Hokusai and Hiroshige (also a member of the Utagawa school) were making landscapes popular.
The prints in this series are filled with wonderful touches. In “Wild Geese in Miho,” for example, he creates a magnificent and towering Mount Fuji – by notshowing the top of Fuji; instead, the snowy summit mixes with the clouds, but in our mind’s eye we see it. Extraordinary.
Toyoshige died soon after, in 1835, leaving us the mystery of why he only created one series of landscapes, but grateful that he did.