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Album of Twelve Months

( King of Hell )

	Object Type	19th Century Japanese Scroll
	Artist	Kunisada
	Period	Edo (19th century)
	Materials	Color on Paper Fan
	Creation Date	ca. 1830
	Dimensions	18.8 cm. x 51 cm. (7 3/8 in. x 20 1/8 in.)

Commentary

This is an album in which Kunisada collaborated with his one time teacher, Ikkei (1749-1844). Ikkei signed his works "88 years old, Hanabusa Ikkei hitsu," which indicates that the work was completed in 1836 at the time Ikkei was 88 years old. I selected only Kunisada's works here: these genre scenes indicate the artist's conscious efforts to emulate Hanabusa Iccho's style. Even for his signature he took one letter from Iccho's studio name, "Nobuka," and signed "Kachõro." His longing for the Genroku culture is inevitable.