THE LADY AT AKASHI (Utagawa Kunisada)

N.1 ukiyo-e woodblock print
Year: 1852
Condition: good
Size: 18 x 25,5 cm

SOLD

Description

Precious polychrome woodblock print made by the famous artist Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) and inspired by the thirteenth chapter, entitled “The Lady at Akashi” (明石), of the Genji Monogatari (源氏物語), the masterpiece of Japanese literature written in 11th century by the court lady Murasaki Shikibu (紫式部).

The work, of vertical chuban (中判) format, was printed in February 1852 by the publisher Sanoya Kihei (佐野屋喜兵衛), owner of Kikakudo (喜鶴堂), and it is taken from the series “The Color Print Contest of a Modern Genji” (今源氏錦絵合).

The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the presence of a small wormhole in the upper left part, is in overall good condition.