Surimono of Women,
Part I
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The
first three series of prints have titles beginning with “Fûzoku onna Suikoden”. Each print in these three series likens a
beautiful woman to one of the heroes of the semi-historical Chinese novel,
Suikoden (Shuihu zhuan in
Chinese). The first series of five
prints may be placed side-by-side to form a pentaptych,
and the second series is listed as number 148 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, 1961). I am grateful to Ward
Pieters for assisting with this section. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin
no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 1 Suikoden hero: Genshôshichi Description: A beauty
gathering salt on the beach Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.1.1 NOTE: This series of
five surimono was designed for the
Taiko (Drum) club of kyôka
poets. I am grateful to Robert Pryor
for this image. |
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I am grateful to Ward Pieters for this alternate
state without a round seal by Kuniyoshi’s signature. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin
no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 2 Suikoden hero: Kishun Description: A beauty with
two buckets of water on a yoke over her shoulders Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.1.2 |
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Series: Suikoden of Women’s
Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin
no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 3 Suikoden hero: Genshôni (Ruan Xiao'er) Description: A seated
beauty smoking a pipe with a basket at her side Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.1.3 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin
no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 4 Suikoden hero: Chôô (Zhang Heng) Description: A beauty
drawing salt water in one of two buckets suspended from a yoke over her
shoulders Size: Shikishiban (about
8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.1.4 |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state in which the water does not cover the woman’s ankles. |
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Series: Suikoden of Women’s
Customs from 108 Heroes: Salt gathering (Fûzoku onna Suikoden ippyakuhachinin
no uchi: Shiogumi gobantsuzuk, 風俗女水滸傳壹百八人ノ内) Number on print: 5 Suikoden hero: Genshôgo
(Ruan Xiaowu) Description: A beauty with two
buckets on a yoke over her shoulders Size: Shikishiban (about 8 by 7
inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô
Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.1.5 |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate
state of the above design with a different poem. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Oteiroku Description: A beauty
seated in a boat by the coast at Mitsumata Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.1 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Roshungi Description: A beauty
smoking a pipe seated on an ox, which is led by a boy Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.2 I am grateful to Ward Pieters for the image. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Kaei Description: A beauty
leaned against a wall with a pipe in her hand Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.3 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Ensei Description: A shirabyôshi
dancer in a white kimono wearing a
high court cap and holding an open fan Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.4 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Saishin Description: A beauty
walking in the hall of votive paintings (emadou) in a Buddhist temple
viewing a landscape painting Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.5 |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this
alternate state of the above design. |
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Series: Suikoden of Women’s
Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Shubu Description: A beauty
leaned upon a fulling-block looking behind her at a flowering cherry Size: Shikishiban (about
8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.6 NOTE: A
fulling-block was used to remove unwanted creases and place desired creases
in clothes as an iron is used today.
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this
simplified state of the above design with a dark moon. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Taikan Description: A beauty seated
in a palanquin holding a pipe
taking a rest by a road sign Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1830 Schaap: 2.a.2.7 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Rinchû Description: A beauty clad
in an overkimono and a black scarf around her head
holding a closed umbrella Size: Shikishiban (about
8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.1 I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Kôsonshô Description: A beauty
standing by a basin (o-tearai) surprised at the sight of a dragon reflected
on the surface of the water Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.2 Image courtesy of Robert Pryor. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Chôsei Description: Beauty
throwing unglazed earthenware dishes from Dôkan
Hill in Edo Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.3 |
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Another state of the above design with the subtitle (hyakuhachiban no uchi, 百八番之内) removed |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Bushô Description: Reclining
beauty reading a book and holding a pipe with her legs in the kotatsu with a
cat on top Size: Shikishiban (about
8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.4 NOTE: A kotatsu is a
low, open wooden frame covered by a blanket with a heat source underneath. |
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Another state of the above surimono,
with the poem, poetry club’s circular emblem, subtitle (hyakuhachiban
no uchi, 百八番之内), and
printer’s seal removed |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Goyô Description: Beauty seated
on a large pillow with a long pipe and a standing clock behind her Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.5 |
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Series: Suikoden of Women’s
Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Chôjun Description: A geisha in a covered boat wringing out
a piece of cloth Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.6 |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this
alternate state of the above design. |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Sôkô Description: A beauty
playing a one-stringed chin (ichigenkin)
while looking at a painting of the goddess Benten Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.7 |
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Series: Suikoden of
Women’s Customs from 108 Sheets (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi, 風俗女水滸傳百八番之内) Suikoden hero: Shishin Description: A beauty
seated, wearing a kimono decorated
with a dragon, and resting her hands on a long pipe Size: Shikishiban
(about 8 by 7 inches or 21 by 18 centimeters) Printer: Surikô Shinzô Date: c. 1832 Schaap: 2.a.3.8 I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image. |
![Schaap 2[1]](Surimono%20of%20Women,%20Part%20I_files/image019.jpg)
![Kuniyoshi - (shikishiban) Modern Women as the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi), Brazier (Kotatsu), [beauty with cat]](Surimono%20of%20Women,%20Part%20I_files/image030.jpg)
![Kuniyoshi - (shikishiban) Modern Women as the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden (Fûzoku onna Suikoden hyakuhachiban no uchi), Brazier (Kotatsu), [beauty with cat] later printing](Surimono%20of%20Women,%20Part%20I_files/image032.jpg)
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“Schaap” refers to listing in Heroes and Ghosts: Japanese Prints by Kuniyoshi by Robert Schaap (Hotei Publishing, Leiden, 1998).
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