THE GENTLER OF THE UPHILL PATHS (Mizuno Toshikata)

N.1 kuchi-e woodblock print
Year: 1899
Condition: very good
Size: 29,5 x 22 cm

SOLD

Description

Elegant original woodblock print of the kuchi-e (口絵) type made by Mizuno Toshikata (水野年方), whose signature appears at lower right as if on a corner of a page rolled over, and depicting a graceful princess of the Heian period (平安時代) handing a letter to a young handmaid.

The work, produced in February 1899 by the Hakubunkan (博文館) publishing house for the vol. 5 n. 3 of the famous literary magazine Bungei Kurabu (文芸倶楽部), was made as the frontispiece of the novel entitled “The Gentler of the Uphill Paths of the Month of May” (五月女坂), by the writer Tsukahara Jushien (塚原渋柿園).

The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the right signs of aging, is in overall very good condition.