Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) | A set of twelve tanzaku [poetry cards] for the twelve months | Meiji period, late 19th century

Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) 

A set of twelve tanzaku [poetry cards] for the twelve months

Meiji period, late 19^th century 

ink, colour and gold on silk mounted on thin card, painted gold border, with fitted wood storage box inscribed Tanzaku junikagetsu (Poetry cards for the twelve months) and Hachijugo-o Tairyukyo Zeshin (Tairyukyo Zeshin at the age of eighty five), enclosed in a dyed cotton slipcase, the tanzaku each with a titled paper case, and comprising：

- The First Month: Temari (Shogatsu, temari), signed Zeshin, sealed Tairyukyo

- The Second Month: Plum (Nigatsu, ume), signed Zeshin, sealed Reisai, depicting three villagers caught in a rain shower, one holding a brunch of plum blossom

- The Third Month: Hina Dolls (Sangatsu, hina), signed Zeshin, sealed Hanken

- The Fourth Month: Cuckoo (Shigatsu, hototogisu), signed Zeshin, sealed Koma, depicting a hototogisu in flight over rice paddies

- The Fifth Month: Iris (Gogatsu, ayame), signed Zeshin, sealed Shin, with a water buffalo seen through the window of a rustic hut, its thatched roof with a stem of iris

- The Sixth Month: Mount Fuji (Rokugatsu, Fuji), signed Zeshin, sealed Shin

- The Seventh Month: Dance (Shichigatsu, odori), signed and sealed Zeshin

- The Eight Month: Autumn Grasses (Hachigatsu, akikusa), signed Zeshin, sealed Shin, the foliage including fringed pinks, creeper, plume grass and thoroughwort, all before an autumnal full moon

- The Ninth Month: Autumn Leaves in Arashiyama (Kugatsu, Arashiyama momiji), signed and sealed Zeshin

- The Tenth Month: Ebisu (Jugatsu, Ebisu), signed Zeshin, sealed Take

- The Eleventh Month: Kagura Masks (Juichigatsu, kaguramen), signed Zeshin, sealed Reisai

- The Twelfth Month: End-of-Year Fair (Junigatsu, toshi no ichi), signed Shin to the side of the wood pail

Each 36 × 6.3 cm., 14⅛ × 2½ in.