Early 19th Century Right Panel of Utagawa Kuninaga’s Woodblock Print Triptych

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Right Panel of Utagawa Kuninaga’s Woodblock Print Triptych, “Beauties Impersonating the Eight Sennin – Immortals”

This is an exquisite framed … Read more Right Panel of Utagawa Kuninaga’s Woodblock Print Triptych, “Beauties Impersonating the Eight Sennin – Immortals”

This is an exquisite framed right panel from a rare triptych woodblock print by Utagawa Kuninaga (ca. 1779–1827), a distinguished Edo-period artist and senior pupil of Utagawa Toyokuni I. Titled “Beauties Impersonating the Eight Sennin – Immortals”, this vivid nishiki-e (multicolor woodblock print) on paper, dated circa 1810, is a compelling example of ukiyo-e, blending mythical storytelling with refined bijin-ga (images of beautiful women). The panel offered here is the rightmost of the original triptych and the only one available for acquisition.

This composition features three of the legendary Eight Immortals from Chinese and Japanese folklore, each reimagined as graceful women in elegant robes. At the top right stands Chokinka, depicted mid-movement as she cuts fragments of fabric from her sleeves, which float upward and transform into butterflies—an ethereal manifestation of her magical powers. Beneath her, Gaga-Sennin kneels in serene play with his fantastic companion, a large, expressive toad, symbolizing transformation and spiritual trickery. Nearby, the courtesan-like figure of Feng Gan appears with a powerful tiger by her side, a traditional marker of her mythological identity. The tiger's striped form and curving tail add dynamism and mystique to the composition.

Executed with Kuninaga’s hallmark precision, the scene is rich in texture, pale in color, and detailed with intricate patterning, embodying the stylistic brilliance of the Utagawa school. The print’s visible image area measures approximately 13 3/4 inches high by 9 3/4 inches wide (34.9 cm x 24.8 cm). It is professionally mounted in a classic, understated wooden frame measuring 22 1/2 inches high by 15 inches wide (57.2 cm x 38.1 cm) with saffron matting. The frame displays light signs of wear consistent with age—such as minor surface scuffs and edge marks—while the print itself remains well-preserved with faint lines and pale pigmentation, all typical of a high-quality early 19th-century impression.

This detailed narrative overview of the complete triptych, describing the eight sennin and their magical attributes—such as dragons, carp, tigers, butterflies, and toads makes for great interest in japanese asian mythology. Though this panel was originally one-third of a unified composition, it stands confidently on its own as a vivid and enchanting depiction of mythological beauty, making it a rare and desirable acquisition for collectors of Japanese art, ukiyo-e, and works from the Utagawa school.

Kuninaga’s work is held in prestigious collections worldwide, including the British Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, further underscoring the cultural and historical value of this remarkable print.

Artist Bio:Utagawa Kuninaga (歌川國長) (artist ca 1779 – 1827)

Alternate names:Kayanosuke (nickname 梅千之助)
Ichiunsai (go 一雲斎)
BIOGRAPHY:
"Painter. Born in Edo and lived in Mita, later Shimbashi Kinroku-cho. The most senior pupil of Toyokuni I after Kunimasa. Active after 1806 doing actor prints, perspective prints, paintings for lanterns and a small number of hanging scrolls of beauties." (This information is taken directly from the British Museum web site.)

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According to the Art Institute of Chicago Kuninaga died in 1827. Christie's gives his date of death as 1829. Some sources give his date of birth as 1789 or 1780.

Kuninaga's works are in many prominent museum collections. An example in the Art Institute in Chicago is from a sub-genre referred to as an Oranda-e or a print in the Dutch (Holland) style. Other collections include Harvard, the Chazen Museum of Art, the British Museum, the Library of Congress, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Achenbach Foundation, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Auckland Art Gallery, the Mead Art Museum, the Allen Memorial Art Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Tokyo National Museum, Waseda University and Ritsumeikan University. See less