Utagawa Kunisada II (1823-1880) and Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu, 1826-1869)
A young woman sits in front of Prince Genji, in front of her a small round hibachi charcoal basin and a leaf fan on the floor. In the background an andon lamp as a flower stand. In the folding fan picture at the top, twigs of flowering thoroughwort (fujibakama). The whole picture is framed by a pattern with the Genji-kô symbol for the 3oth chapter of the Genji novel.
Title: Chapter 30 - Fujibakama
Series: Omokage Genji gojûyo-jô (Vestiges of the Fifty-four Chapters of Genji)
Signatures and seals: Baichôrô Kunisada hitsu with Toshidama seal; Ryûsai with seal Ga
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizô (Tsutakichi, Kôeidô), Edo
Date: 1864, 9th month
Size: Vertical Ôban, 37.3 x 25.3 cm (overall)
Very good impression, excellent colours. The uncoloured background is karazuri-embossed with a continuous pattern of undulating sea waves. Unbacked, full sheet Slightly creased, a few faint small spots. A small hole in the unprinted margin in upper left corner. Verso in top light toning, a faint stain in bottom, not showing through. Overall very good condition.
Ill. in Andreas Marks, Genji's World in Japanese Woodblock Prints. Leiden 2012, p. 232, no. 243, and p. 279, no. G 554. Cf. also MFA Boston 11.15556 and 11.37391.30, Tokyo Metropolitan Library 4574-C001-028, with a transcription of the waka poem in the fan.
€ 195,- reserved