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Fine impression of the first version of this surimono.
Printed with application of mineral colours (silver and gold) and karazuri.
Very good colour and condition.
This is the first version of the subject.
For the second version see Roger Keyes, The Art of Surimono, London & New York 1985; vol. I, p. 126 no. 97.
The main differences between our version and the second one are: the signature is in a square cartouche; the sun is larger, covered by different clouds, and touching the pine branch; the slope of the hill extends to the left with extra pine tree; the kamon (family crest) layout on the ox cart is different, as is different the bark on the large pine tree on the right.
Gakutei depicts here a practice of courtiers in the Heian period. Every year on the first Day of the Rat it was customary for courtiers to entertain themselves with a New-Year visit to the countryside, where they uprooted young pine trees to bring back to their palaces as decorative ornaments.
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