Katsukawa Shuntei II (?-1856), triptych, colour woodblock print. Japan, ca 1830. 'Celebrations'.
Depicting Sumo wrestlers having a party with food and drink. Measurement per sheet 25,5x37 cm. Measurement with passepartout 90x55 cm
Discoloration. Wear to edges.Soft handling creases. Colors possibly slightly faded. Restorations. Tears to the edges.
Provenance
From the Collection of Göran Flyxe.
Exhibitions
Exhibited at Krognoshuset, Lund 14-30/1 1974, Norrköping Museum, Norrköping 9/6-28/7 1974, Kalmar Museum, Kalmar nov 1974, Sweden Center Bldg, Tokyo 31/5-1/6 1975, Röhsska Museet, Göteborg 9/12-23/1 1978, Galleri Asthley, Skinnskatteberg 5/6-18/7 1993, Östasiatiska Museet, Stockholm 24/12 1993-14/3 1994.
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.