print translation help

[smac401]

Hey guys,

I am hoping to get this picture soon but I have know clue what the translation says. Any help would be greatly appreciated. You guys really helped out a lot with the lst three. Thanks in advance.

 

Steve M

[Thierry BERNARD]

Hi Steve

 

I doubt that we can translate anything from such a tiny picture!

[smac401]

Sorry your quite right it is a little small. I hope this one is a little better, I cant enlarge it much more from the photo I have. the only way I can do it from here is save it to a file and edit the size but it won't save it in that size. Sorry.

 

Steve M.

[kunitaro]

鈴

木

春

信

画

 

Suzuki Harunobu

[Dick Tait]

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/JP2453

[smac401]

Thank you Kunitaro San and Mr.Tait. As usual you guys come through fast and accurate. Thank you again and I will follow up with the reference point for further details.

 

Steve M.

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all,

 

This is quite a famous image and has been known by a number of names:

 

雪中相合傘 - "Lovers under an Umbrella in the Snow"

 

相合傘 - "Sharing an Umbrella" (this simpler title has a whole load of subtle romantic resonances).

 

烏と白鷺 - "Crow and White Heron" (this also has a whole load of subtle romantic resonances).

 

There are a number of known states of this design.

 

A popular theory has it that that the original design was a private commission for a New Years calendar by a high rank Samurai called Okubo Jinshiro Tadanobu (Kyosen).

 

The story goes that a publisher saw the calendar and persuaded Suzuki to redraw it for mass distribution.

 

Unfortunately we don't know who the publisher was (not uncommon for prints of this period).

 

The original for mass distribution was published in the 3rd or 4th years of Meiwa c. 1766 - 67

 

The original size was 26.6 x 19.8 cm (10 1/2 x 7 13/16 in.) which is referred to as Chuban (vertical)

 

(my favourite state has a mid grey background with snowflakes)

 

Not a lot is known about Suzuki Harunobu, but this link may help:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Harunobu

 

 

Cheers