YUI (Utagawa Yoshikazu)

N.1 ukiyo-e woodblock print
Year: 1853
Condition: good
Size: 18 x 12 cm

SOLD

Description

Funny polychrome woodblock print of horizontal yotsugiri (四つ切り) format, made in September 1853 by the artist Utagawa Yoshikazu (歌川芳員) and depicting a giant octopus emerging from the waters of the Pacific, near the Yui station (由井), terrorizing two abalone divers (鮑取り).

The work, produced by the publisher Tsutaya Umejiro (蔦屋梅次郎), is taken from the “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido” (東海道五十三次内), a very distinctive series in which the artist introduces, with humorous images, legends and episodes related to the stations of the famous connecting route.

The rare print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the presence of small restorations, is in good condition.