$500–$8,000. Common subjects: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Gekko's prolific output makes most of his work affordable. Quality varies significantly.
Motomezuka—the Grave of Longing—is the subject of a Noh play and several earlier narrative traditions: a woman who was pursued by two suitors committed suicide to avoid choosing between them, and her grave became associated with the tragedy of unavoidable choice. Gekko's rendering likely shows the dramatic moment of the woman's decision or its aftermath, the quiet grave site itself serving as an eloquent visual summary of the story's melancholy conclusion.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Motomezuka was created by Ogata Gekko (尾形月耕).
Motomezuka depicts figures, bijin-ga, and mythology.
