Monday 20th April - Fine Art & Local Artist Picture Sale
This is a Japanese woodblock print (nishiki-e) by the artist Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908), titled Yukun: Genna koro fujin (Courtesan: Woman of the Genna Era). It is part of the celebrated series Sanjuroku Kasen (Selection of Thirty-six Beauties), published in 1891 (Meiji 24) by Akiyama Buemon. The composition depicts a seated courtesan (bijin) dressed in a formal black kimono decorated with geometric and floral patterns, looking down at a long, unrolled letter. A second female figure is positioned in the background, wearing an orange and white wave-patterned kimono and standing before a screen or window featuring a monochrome landscape. To the right of the seated figure is a tall indoor paper lantern (andon) on a black lacquered stand. The print demonstrates high-quality Meiji-era production techniques, including the use of metallic silver pigments in the textile patterns and fine line work in the hair and facial features. The upper right cartouche contains the series title and the subject title. The artist signature and red seal are located to the middle left. The far left margin contains vertical columns of text including the date of publication and publisher information. A handwritten label on the reverse of the frame provides historical context regarding the subject and artist.
Measurement: 22 x 34 CM
Measurement with frame: 40 x 51 CM
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