Triptychs and diptychs of beautiful women,

Part I

 

Please see Untitled set of triptychs of the six crystal rivers and Feminine Pleasures of the Four Seasons for other example of this genre.  Unless otherwise noted, the individual sheets of these triptychs are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.  I am grateful to Ward Pieters for assisting with this section.

 

Kuniyoshi%20-%20Flowers%20of%20Edo%20(Edo%20no%20hana),Evening%20scene%20at%20a%20brothel%20in%20Edo,%20with%20woman%20being%20massaged%20by%20a%20blind%20man%20(L)

Title: Flowers of Edo (Edo no hana, 江戸の花源門之夕暮)

Description: Evening scene at a brothel in Edo, with woman being massaged by a blind man (left)

Date: 11th month of 1860

Publisher: Jôshû-ya Kinzô

Kuniyoshi%20-%20Flowers%20of%20Edo%20(Edo%20no%20hana),Evening%20scene%20at%20a%20brothel%20in%20Edo,%20with%20child%20replacing%20adult%20man%20(L)

A partially recut edition of the above design with a child in the left sheet replacing the adult man

Series: Pleasures of the Four Seasons (Shiki yûkan, 四季遊観)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Summer (Natsu, ), Evening Cool between Bridge Piers (Hashima no suzumi, 橋留の涼み)

Description: Three bijin in boat under Ryogoku Bridge on the Sumida River

Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku)

Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburô

Kuniyoshi - Pleasures of the Four Seasons (Shiki yûkan), Summer, Three bijin in boat under Ryogoku Bridge on the Sumida River, 1843-7

Another state of the above print

Series: Pleasures of the Four Seasons (Shiki yûkan, 四季遊観)

Robinson: Not listed

Title: Autumn

Description: Catching Fireflies in the Cool of the Evening (Suzumi no hotaru)

Date: 1843-1847

Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburô

Another state of the above print

Kuniyoshi - The 4 Seasons (Shiki no uchi, R130), Spring Amusements at the Honorable Lower Palace (Go-shita-yashiki haru no asobi), c

Series: The Four Seasons (四季之, Shiki no uchi)

Robinson: 130

Title: Spring Amusements at the Honorable Lower Palace (Go-shita-yashiki haru no asobi)

Description: Ladies among the cherry blossoms in the palace garden, with two on a bench (left), three looking at them (centre), and one leaning on a tree (right)

Date: 1849-1852 (censors Hama and Magome)

Publisher: Hamada-ya Tokubei

I am grateful to Robert Appleford for this alternate state of the above design.

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this night version of the above design.

Title: Cherry Blossoms at Night (夜の桜, Yoru no sakura)

Description: A young girl breaking a spray of cherry blossoms from a tree

Date: c. 1846

Publisher: Yorozu-ya Jûbei

Title: Plum Blossoms at Night (Yoru no ume, 夜乃梅)

Description: Three women by an old plum tree at night

Date: 1845-6

Publisher: Iba-ya Sensaburô

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this variant of the above design.  Note that the seal of the carver (Hori Take, 彫竹) is in a different location on the left sheet.

Plum%20Blossoms%20under%20Snow%20at%20Night%20(Tsumoru%20yoru%20no%20ume),%201847-52,%20Pub

Title: Plum Blossoms in the Evening Snow (Tsumoru yo no ume, つもる夜の梅)

Description: Three beauties standing in front of a large snow-covered branch

Date: 1846-1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

I am grateful to  Lucienne Parkan for this alternate state of the above design.

Title: None

Description: Three women collecting plum-blossom branches by candlelight

Date: c. 1848

Publisher: Yorozu-ya Kichibei

Yamino yumeImage1

Title: Yamino yume

Description: Three women by an old plum tree at night, the robe of the figure on the right is decorated with paulownia leaf crests, and that of the central figure with images of Otsu-e

Date: 1847-1850

Publisher: Kawaguchi-ya Uhei

Title: The First Plum Blossoms of Spring (Ume no sakigake, 梅の魁)

Description: Three women in front of a flowering plum tree

Date: 1847-1850 (censors Mera and Murata)

Publisher: Fujioka-ya Keijirô

Another state of the above design without any purple

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this keyblock print for the above triptych.  Note that Kuniyoshi’s seal has not yet been carved, and there are no stripes on the kimono.

Kuniyoshi%20-%20(triptych)%20Five%20Festivals%20(Gosekku%20no%20uchi),%20Mutsuki%20(the%20new%20year's%20festival)

Series: Five Festivals (Go sekku no uchi, 五節句之内睦月)

Robinson: 166

Title: Mutsuki (the new year’s festival)

Description: Women celebrating the new year.  In the center is a large Daruma kite.  Mount Fuji covered with snow, new year pine-tree-decorations, casks of sake wrapped in straw coverings, all indicate the season.  There is a signboard of the Mitsui store advertising sundry goods.

Date: 1843-1846 (censor Muramatsu Genroku)

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

Title: The First Time on a Boat in a Miniature Lake (Sensui fune johatsu, 泉水舟乗初)

Description: Women and a child rowing a small boat through a landscaped garden, watching koi in the water

Date: 1846-1848 (censors Muramatsu and Yoshimura)

Publisher: Enshû-ya Matabei

Title: Hanaôgi of the Ôgiya (Ôgiya uchi Hana-ogi, 扇屋内花')

Description: The courtesan Hanaôgi of the Ôgiya in a robe decorated with the monk Mongaku Shonin, showered with gold coins by Benzaiten from clouds above

Title: Yatsuhashi of the Nakamanjiya (Nakamanjiya uchi Yatsuhashi, 中万字屋内八ッ橋)

Description: The courtesan Yatsuhashi of the Nakamanjiya in a robe decorated with sea-animals showered with gold coins by Daikoku from clouds above

Title: Yoyoyama of the Matsubaya (Matsubaya uchi Yoyoyama, 松葉屋内代々山)

Description: The courtesan Yoyoyama of the Matsubaya in a robe decorated with a crab being showered with gold coins

Date: c. 1833

Publisher: Yamaguchi-ya Tobei

 

NOTE: The gold coins really were oval

Title on each sheet: An Up-to-date Spring Scene (Tôsei haru geshiki, 當盛春景色)

Description: Beautiful women with a pleasure boat

Date: c. 1829-1832

Publisher: Ômi-ya Heihachi

Another state of the above design

Original drawing for the right sheet of the above triptych

Title: Catching Fireflies in the Cool of the Evening (納涼蛍, Nôryô hotaru)

Description: Three women and child catching fireflies

Date: 1849-1852 (censors Hama and Magome)

Publisher: Enshû-ya Hikobei

Another state of the above design published by Jôshû-ya Jûzô

Title: None

Description: Three women with view of Lake Omi (Omi hakkei) from Mt. Heian

Date: c. 1847

Publisher: Ebi-ya Rinnosuke

 

I am grateful to Richard A. Waldman and The Art of Japan for this image.

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