Analogy
The beauty of Shunshō's print gathers further elegance from two layers of poetic devices—a visual allustion to the imagery in a poem describing a love "as infinite as the shells upon the shore" and the analogy itself, discussed at length in the preface to the Kokin waka shū. The passage from the preface is quoted in the cloud at the top of the print. The subtle play of meaning between the collecting of shells and the collecting of poetry—a box of shells becomes a visual metaphor for an anthology of poetry—is particularly pleasing.
Artwork Details
- Tatohe uta
- Title: Analogy
- Artist: Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: late 18th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: 10 1/8 x 7 3/4 in. (25.7 x 19.7 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Henry L. Phillips Collection, Bequest of Henry L. Phillips, 1939
- Object Number: JP2782
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章
ca. 1771
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章
third month of 1780
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章
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Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章
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