Torii Kiyonobu I

A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3

Found at Christies, New York
Japanese and Korean Art, Lot 372
20. Mar - 20. Mar 2007
Estimate: 30.000 - 40.000 USD
Price realised: 36.000 USD
Torii Kiyonobu I (ca. 1664-1729)
A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3
Sumizuri-e, twelve album sheets depicting erotic encounters between male lovers in interior settings; signed on plate 1 Torii Kiyonobu above a square decorative seal; publisher's name and address on plate 12 Hasegawa-cho Honya Saburobei (Honya Saburobei of Hasegawa-cho)--very good impressions, centerfolds, soiled, creased, repairs
aiban yoko-e: 22.5 x 30.8cm., each approx.
The rectangular red seals on plates 1 and 12 are illegible. The large circular seal on the same plates may be that of a collector or of a rental bookshop.
Christie's is indebted to Asano Shugo for his identification of the lovers and dating of the set.
The actors or young dandies (wakashu) in the plates have been identified as follows:

A top price for Torii Kiyonobu I - as previously expected

The work A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3 by Torii Kiyonobu I was sold in the Japanese and Korean Art auction at Christies in New York in March 2007. The price achieved of USD 36,000.00 (€ 26,917.90) was within expectations - the estimate range had previously been set by the auction house as USD 30,000.00 – 40,000.00. Even if this result could not surprise positively, A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3 is the most expensive artwork by Torii Kiyonobu I that we have observed at auctions so far.

Ein Spitzenpreis mit Ansage

Die Arbeit A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3 von Torii Kiyonobu I wurde im März 2007 in der Auktion Japanese and Korean Art bei Christies in New York versteigert. Der dabei erzielte Preis von USD 36.000,00 (€ 26.917,90) lag im Rahmen der Erwartungen – die Schätzpreisspanne war von dem Auktionshaus zuvor mit USD 30.000,00 – 40.000,00 angegeben worden. Auch wenn das Ergebnis damit nicht positiv überraschen konnte, ist A Suite of Male Lovers, 1702-3 das teuerste Kunstwerk von Torii Kiyonobu I, das wir bisher bei Auktionen beobachtet haben.

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