Nijo in no Sanuki

Our subject this month, the wife of the retired Emperor Nijo, was a contemporary of last month's poet, Gotoba In, and had poetry skills so highly regarded that even after she had 'renounced the world' and become a nun, her work remained in demand. There is a story that even though she was reluctant to attend a poetry gathering one day, her presence was considered so necessary that a special formal ox-cart was dispatched to bring her to the affair.

I have considerably expanded the range of colours used on this design. The whole thing was done in the original book with only four colour impressions, but I have doubled that to eight. I think that Shimano-san, my woodblock supplier, would be happier if I generally kept the number of colours to a minimum, as I always seem to be pestering him for more and more blocks! He is a very busy man, and I'm sure that each time I call, he is thinking, 'What, he needs more blocks already!?!' I think he would be happy to know however, that I am very stingy with the woodblocks that he does send. Those eight colours you see on this print are all carved on only two pieces of cherry wood. This saves on the materials, but makes it somewhat more awkward to print. A couple of hundred years ago, I suppose things would have been reversed; ease of working would have been the first priority, with conserving resources being considered later, if at all.

Please enjoy this print. Coming up next, Ki no Tomonori

March 1991