ATTRIBUTED TO SUMIYOSHI GUKEI (1631-1705)

ATTRIBUTED TO SUMIYOSHI GUKEI (1631-1705)

EDO PERIOD, 17TH OR 18TH CENTURY

Three album leaves decorated in ink, colour and gold on paper, each depicting a chapter of the Soga Monogatari (The Tale of the Soga Brothers): one with chapter 7, book 5 ( entitled 'Where the Brothers ask for Yoichi's assistance'); another with chapter 4, book 3 ('A Mother's Lament') and the last chapter 16, book 2 ('The Death of Kanetaka'), all framed and glazed, all approx. 23.2cm x 16.5cm; together with two double leaves mounted on board, one depicting chapter 2, book 1 ('The Horse Race at Ukon no Baba') and the other chapter 2, book 6 ('Benzaiten'), both approx. 23.2cm x 33.2cm. (5)

Provenance: from the Milne Henderson collection of Japanese art.

See the Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, access. nos. AFI.8.2012, AFI.9.2012, AFI.10.2012 and AFI.11.2012 for four other album leaves by Sumiyoshi Gukei depicting chapters from the Soga Monogatari. These were purchased in 1993 from Sondra Milne Henderson, London, and they may belong to the same album of paintings.