THE PLEASURE QUARTERS: YOSHIWARA (Utagawa School)

N.1 abuna-e woodblock print
Period: 19th century
Condition: good
Size: 12,5 x 9,5 cm

SOLD

Description

Original horizontal yatsugiri (八つ切り) format woodblock print of the “dangerous image” abuna-e (あぶな絵) type, made in the 19th century by an artist of the Utagawa school (歌川派) and depicting a couple of lovers smoking a traditional kiseru (煙管) pipe.

The work is taken from the series “Three Views of the Pleasure Quarters” (遊所三景) and is dedicated, as we read in the inset at the top left, to the Yoshiwara (吉原) district.

The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the right signs of aging as well as the presence of a small hole, is in overall good condition.