Promise (Seiyaku no ukei), from the series "Eighteen Illustrations of the Ladder of Ancient Words (Kogentei juhachiban tsuzuki)"

Art Historical Context

In this delicate color woodblock print, three figures occupy a quiet interior space defined by wooden stairs, sliding screens, and a soft pink hanging panel. A woman in a blue floral kimono kneels with her head bowed, while a companion in pale pink and green bends forward beside her. To the right, a man in blue attire lowers himself before a lantern bearing a red crest, his posture suggesting respect or ceremony. The scene is rendered in fine lines and subtle washes of blue, pink, and green, characteristic of the shikishiban surimono format. Created by Totoya Hokkei in 1831, *Promise (Seiyaku no ukei)* forms part of the series *Eighteen Illustrations of the Ladder of Ancient Words*. As a privately commissioned surimono, the print combines elegant figural detail with poetic inscriptions, reflecting the refined tastes of early nineteenth-century Japanese print culture. Hokkei’s careful attention to costume and setting invites viewers to linger over the quiet drama of the moment.

About the Artist

Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850

Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...