Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
This hanging scroll (kakemono) depicts the courtesan Eguchi as the Bodhisattva Fugen, seated atop a white elephant while writing a waka poem on a scroll. Rendered in ink and color on silk, the painting features a signature reading 'Utagawa Toyohiro' (歌川豊広) accompanied by a red artist seal.
Story
In 12th-century Japan, a famous monk was refused shelter by a courtesan named Eguchi, sparking a poetic debate. This scroll captures the legendary moment she was revealed to be none other than Fugen, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.
Maker / Origin
The signature reads Utagawa Toyohiro (1773–1828), a celebrated Edo-period ukiyo-e artist and the teacher of the legendary landscape master Hiroshige. Toyohiro was famous for his elegant, slender depictions of beautiful women (bijin-ga).
Condition & Value
The painting shows minor foxing, light creasing, and age-related toning consistent with a late 19th or early 20th-century scroll. There is a small tear or wear spot near the bottom edge of the mounting fabric. Overall, the colors remain vibrant and the silk is stable, meaning it does not require immediate conservation.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.