Description
Fine large vertical format original woodblock print, taken from the series “Thirty-six Elegant Selections” (三十六佳撰) by the artist Mizuno Toshikata (水野年方). The work, printed in 1893 by the publisher Akiyama Buemon (秋山武右衛門), owner of Kokkeido (滑稽堂), is entitled “Hanami: Women of the Bunsei Era” (花見 文政頃婦人).
The artist frames two bijin (美人) beauties in a compelling composition of geometries and colors: the delicate pink of the cherry trees blooming in the background and, in the foreground, the bright and vertical red of the torii (鳥居) gate together with the blue of the small forest of circular shapes of the wagasa (和傘) umbrellas, give an illustration of a harmonious beauty full of life.
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the presence of some obvious signs of aging, is in overall good condition.
