Title: Jūnirui Uta-awase (Poetry Contest of Twelve), Circa 1603-1650. A Rare Emakimono Handscroll Depicting a Poetry Contest Between the Twelve Zodiac Animals, Satirizing Early Poetry Challenges. 12 Charming Paintings of Each Animal, and an Illuminated Frontispiece
Author: Attributed to Kanō Naonobu
Condition: Very Good
A rare Early Edo Period, early to mid 17th century emakimono handscroll, dubbed Jūnirui Uta-awase, or the Poetry Contest of Twelve, attributed to Kano Naonobu (1607-1650), with one of his smaller artist seals and a signature at the beginning, and a larger, more commonly seen artist seal in repeat to each painting.
The manuscript depicts a contest between the twelve Zodiac Animals, messengers of the Twelve Heavenly Generals, in a parody of traditional uta-awase, or poetry contests.
Throughout Japan’s history, the poetical works of famed Japanese poets were often copied and compiled, being pitted against each other via competitions, in the vein of actual poetry contests held in courts and other venues. Just like the Sanjurokkasen or Hyakunin Isshu, the verses would be accompanied by visual depictions of each respective author.
The Jūnirui Uta-awase is a satire of those contests, portraying twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar) as traditional Japanese poets. Each one is wearing the formal robes of various court nobles, and even snake is wearing a more multilayered kimono that would be for a court lady.
As would be expected, there are twelve paintings, one for each zodiac animal, and accompanying poetry. But the manuscript also opens with a beautifully illuminated frontispiece, displaying a landscape with trees against golden sprays. The entirety of the scroll is also bordered with some lovely silk or brocade work with illuminated flowers and gold sprays, this and the frontispiece being much more reminiscent of the Kano art style than the main paintings themselves.
Born in Kyoto, Naonobu was the middle brother of three, alongside siblings Kano Tan’yu and Yasunobu, with distant blood relations to Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. He began painting lessons as a child under Kano Koi, and when his father passed away in 1618, Naonobu succeeded him as family head. In 1623, he made his first public appearance while Shogun Iemitsu was visiting, and was commissioned to teach painting, becoming the shogunate’s official painting. He created several screen door paintings in Honmaru Palace, though these were lost in an 1868 fire. He very quickly mastered brother Tan’yu’s style, continuing to create more screen paintings for various temples and palaces. Around 1635-1636 he also produced several handscrolls, including that on the Origins of Oji Shrine, and Selected Scenes from the Tale of Genji. He passed away at the age of 44.
Although Naonobu was much more known for his use of ink wash painting, he has been known to produce other colorful works, and this emakimono does display his skill of negative space quite nicely.
Western auctions and sales do not record a set sold since the March 23rd, 2000, sale at Christies. Prior to that, there was an April 27th, 1993, sale in which an Early to Mid Edo Period set hammered for 123500 USD.
Worldcat records no existing copies in libraries, and Kokusho notes Edo Period sets with illustrations as rather rare.
The paintings have been laid down and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover of floral designs against blue, and there are jikusaki (knobs).
One brocade bound emakimono (picture scroll) on paper, 30.9 x 333 cm full size. The knobs are not included as part of the measurement.
This emakimono is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing and wear to the brocade fabric, with a few tiny wormholes. There are worm tracks throughout, mostly minor ones to the margins, and then several larger ones to the center, affecting two paintings and some poetical text.