<b>YASUMASA PLAYING THE FLUTE BY MOONLIGHT</b>Tsukioka Yoshitoshi1883<b>SOLD</B></em>
ARTIST: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
TITLE: Yasumasa Playing the Flute by Moonlight
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1883
DIMENSIONS: 13 3/4 x 29 1/4 inches; (13 3/4" x 9 3/4" each)
CONDITION: Original album backing, trimming to margins, otherwise in fine state of preservation
LITERATURE: Beauty and Violence, van den Ing, Schaap, Fig. 12.2. pg 43
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Details
Fujiwara no Yasumasa (958-1036) was a renowned musician and poet in the Heian court. One fateful autumn evening, as he made his way home by the light of the full moon, Yasumasa cut through the isolated Ichiharano moor. In attempts to liven his spirit, he played his flute on the precarious stretch. Though he believed he was alone, amidst the tall grass, a bandit lay in wait. The highwayman, Hakamadare Yasusuke, planned to strike down the lone traveler and steal his stately winter robes. And yet, as the beauty of Yasumasa’s flute tune was revealed, Yasusuke found himself unable to attack. Bewitched by the haunting melody, he followed Yasumasa to his destination. It wasn’t until Yasumasa arrived home that he noticed Yasusuke and decerned the failed attempt at his life. In a spirit of kindness, the flutist offered the rogue a gift of a fine robe with the parting remark, “Next time, ask.”
This masterful triptych lays bare the drama that transpired that remarkable evening. The center panel features Yasumasa in his elegant winter robes that are exhibited by a bluster of wind (enticing the rogue to act) while his lips softly press onto his flute. His eyes are closed as he is entirely engrossed in song. This center panel’s balance is disrupted by the offensive stance of Yasusuke’s leg and foot at the bottom right, which highlights the intrusion and demands the eye to move toward the far-right panel where the rouge clutches his sword in anticipation of his strike. All the while, the left panel bolsters the rising full autumn moon, whose light illuminates the beauty and potential violence of the scene. The tall autumn grasses sway toward the flute player, echoing the direction the rogue’s sword would have to travel to reach its conclusion. The soft irregular clouds in the background animate the composition and echo the sweet and haunting tune that wafts across the scene.
Connoisseur's Note
This stunning impression is a wonderful example of the design. The triptych is in fine condition, as all panels are loose and are not attached or backed onto each other.