Description
Rare polychrome woodblock print made around 1896 as a kuchi-e (口絵) frontispiece by the artist Tomioka Eisen (富岡永洗). In the upper left inset, a young bijin (美人) beauty. In the main scene of the work, a woman distracts a young kozo (小僧) monk from the sutra recitation.
Tomioka Eisen (1864 – 1905), a pupil of Kobayashi Eitaku (小林永濯), began working as a freelance artist when he was still a draughtsman in the imperial army. After the disappearance of his master, he devoted himself entirely to his artistic career and became a very appreciated and well-paid magazine illustrator. He died only forty-one years old, when the kuchi-e movement was in full bloom.
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the obvious patina of time, is in good condition.
