Lot 184, Auction 4/3/2026: Japanese Ukiyo-e Print Triptych – “Sanno Festival”

$325.00

In stock

Anonymous (Japanese, XIX century). “Sanno Festival” color ukiyo-e print on paper, n.d. Titled at right with indecipherable artist’s and publisher’s stamps at left. A lively ukiyo-e woodblock print triptych illustrating the Sanno Matsuri, one of Edo’s most celebrated Shinto festivals. The composition presents a bustling ceremonial procession moving across the foreground, where participants in coordinated robes escort portable shrines through the city streets. Behind the procession rises a layered landscape of water, shrines, and distant Mount Fuji, with costumed figures and performers arranged in lively vignettes that evoke the festive atmosphere of the celebration. The Sanno Matsuri was associated with the Hie Shrine and ranked among the most important annual events in Edo (modern Tokyo). Size of print: 20.5″ W x 9.5″ H (52.1 cm x 24.1 cm); of frame: 27.25″ W x 16.75″ H (69.2 cm x 42.5 cm)

Held during the sixth month of the lunar calendar, the festival featured elaborate parades of mikoshi (portable shrines), musicians, dancers, and symbolic displays representing various districts of the city. Ukiyo-e artists frequently depicted the spectacle, capturing both the grandeur of the procession and the vibrant street life surrounding it.

The print retains its original triptych format, with the title panel at the right identifying the festival scene. Artist and publisher seals appear at the left but are worn and difficult to decipher. Together, the sheets create a panoramic festival view typical of nineteenth century ukiyo-e, combining documentary detail with the lively narrative style that made such prints popular souvenirs of Edo’s great public celebrations.

Condition: Mounted behind glass in custom matte and frame; has not been examined outside of glass. Tear to central panel and creasing, discoloring, and small losses to pigment throughout. Discoloring to paper and matte. A few scuffs to frame. Otherwise, imagery is clear. Suspension wire on verso for display. Titled at right with indecipherable artist’s and publisher’s stamps at left.

Provenance: Private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980

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