UTAGAWA KUNISADA (Toyokuni III)(1786-1864), color woodblock print. Japan, circa 1840. 'Koyanagi'.
UTAGAWA KUNISADA (Toyokuni III)(1786-1864), color woodblock print. Japan, circa 1840. 'Koyanagi'.
Depicting the sumo wrestler Koyanagi in traditional clothing. Measurements 25x36 cm. Laid on paper panel measurement 42x55 cm. Not framed.
Discoloration. Soft handling creases. Colors possibly slightly faded.
Provenance
From the Collection of Göran Flyxe.
Literature
Depicted in "Edo Sumo Nishiki", 1986, p.75.
More information
Japanese Sumo Wrestling is one of the oldest martial arts in Japan. Sumo wrestlers were a favorite subject on Japanese woodblock prints.
Sumo has its roots in the shinto religion. The matches were dedicated to the gods in prayers for a good harvest. The oldest written records date back to the 8th century. But it is probably more than 1500 years old.
Sumo prints from the 18th and 19th century prove the popularity of the sport in the past.
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