Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Casting a Mantra on the Waves at Kakuta on His Exile to Sado Island - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A dramatic woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicting the priest Nichiren calming a storm during his exile to Sado Island.
This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicts a dramatic episode from the life of the Buddhist priest Nichiren. The scene captures the moment of his exile to Sado Island, where he faces a tempestuous sea at Kakuta. Nichiren stands firmly at the prow of a small boat, his posture composed as he casts a mantra into the churning waters to calm the storm. The surrounding boatmen are shown in states of distress, their bodies contorted in fear as the vessel is tossed by massive, stylized waves.
Kuniyoshi employs a dynamic composition to convey the intensity of the event. The waves are rendered with bold, sweeping lines that dominate the frame, creating a sense of turbulent motion. The contrast between the calm, resolute figure of the priest and the chaotic environment reflects the narrative focus on his spiritual authority. The colour palette relies heavily on Prussian blue, a pigment that had become popular in Japanese printmaking during this period, alongside muted earthy tones for the boat and the figures.
This work belongs to the series 'Concise Illustrated Biography of the Great Priest', which chronicles the life of Nichiren through various legendary encounters. Kuniyoshi was known for his imaginative approach to historical and legendary subjects, often imbuing his prints with a sense of theatricality. The print demonstrates his mastery of line and his ability to integrate human figures into complex, atmospheric settings. The use of dark, ominous clouds above the horizon adds to the tension of the scene, effectively framing the central action. This print remains a fine example of the narrative power found in 19th-century Japanese woodblock art, where historical biography meets supernatural folklore.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Casting a Mantra on the Waves at Kakuta on His Exile to Sado Island - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Kuniyoshi's father was a silk dyer in Edo. The boy helped with pattern design, which gave him an instinct for colour and textile decoration that shows in every print he made. At twelve he caught the attention of Utagawa Toyokuni, the head of the Utagawa school, and was admitted as a student. He was given the name Kuniyoshi in 1814 and became independent.
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
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Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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