Description
Fine original woodblock print of the kuchi-e (口絵) type, made by the artist Takeuchi Keishu (武内桂舟) for the vol. 3 n. 11 of the famous literary magazine Bungei Kurabu (文芸倶楽部) and entitled “Beauty Reading” (佳人読書).
The work was produced in August 1897 by the Hakubunkan (博文館) publishing house as the frontispiece of the novel “Summer Insects” (夏虫) by Nakarai Tosui (半井桃水), the writer renowned also for being a teacher of Ichiyo Higuchi (樋口一葉), one of the most important women writers of the Meiji period (明治時代), so much popular that she became the third woman to appear on a banknote issued by the Bank of Japan (日本銀行).
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the right signs of aging, in particular small spots, is in overall good condition.
