Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797-1858). Ukiyo-e woodblock print titled "The Mouth of the Aji River in Settsu Province" from the series "Sankai mitate sumo (Wrestling Matches Between Mountains and Sea)" depicting a bird's eye view of ships in a harbor, 1858. With a cartouche along the upper right corner in the shape of a fan used by referees in sumo wrestling matches. Signed and titled in plate along the upper left an lower right corners.

Provenance: From the Estate of C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan, Long Lake, Minnesota.

C. Curtis "Curt" Dunnavan (1926-2022) was a passionate world traveler and avid collector. It was through his travels that he was inspired to begin a lifelong relationship with the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), becoming a major sponsor of the institute and facilitating the growth of their Asian art department, which is now one of the best in the country. His generous donations to Mia allowed them to establish a fund for the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, one of the few endowed positions of this type in the museum field. He additionally served as a trustee of the institute, advocating for its operational growth. In its turn, the museum established a gallery named in his honor in recognition for his endowment fund and numerous contributions to their collection. The selections here showcase his talent and breadth of collecting, ranging from ancient statues to 19th-century woodblock prints. His appreciation for art persisted throughout his life and we are honored to offer items from his collection in this auction.
Unframed; height: 10 in x width: 13 3/4 in. Framed; height: 17 in x width: 21 1/4 in. No visible tears. The sheet is affixed to the mat along the upper margin with framer's tape. Light creases along the margins. The sheet has toning and soiling along the margins, particularly to the upper right and lower left corners. Natural lines from the woodblock visible, most noticeably to the ocean. Light browning along the upper, right, and left edges. There is a minute crease to all four corners. There is a folded crease to the center of the sheet. To the upper right corner, there are minute holes that are restored with another sheet layer from the verso; please see the listing image. No other visible signs of restoration under UV light. To the lower center margin in the ocean, there is a minute area of ink loss. Along the verso, there is light skimming to the right margin. Framed under museum glass; light wear to the frame.