Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) (artist 11/15/1797 – 03/05/1861)
Triptych of three bijin and children gathering outdoors at dusk in the summertime
1847 – 1850
30 in x 14.75 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi ga
一勇斎国芳画
Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke
(Marks 040 - seal 07-021) Censor seals - on center and left: Mera and Murata
on the right: Muramatsu
National Diet Library - left panel only
National Diet Library - center panel only
National Gallery, Prague - they call it 'Enjoying the Evening Cool' The woman in the center has a tenugui or hand towel (手拭い) draped over her right shoulder - a common site of anyone coming from or going to a bath. She appears to be carrying a shallow red lacquer tray in her right hand. The blue of the outer robe is decorated with blossoms and large wheels. She is wearing a simple brown summer obi with an equally simple black pattern. This cloth was possibly made in Hakata.
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Two of the three panels can be found in the National Diet Library collection. See the links above. Each of these has the Kuniyoshi kiri seal in red directly below the signature. This seal does not appear on any of the print in the Lyon Collection.
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This design of this triptych is notable for Kuniyoshi's daring use of silhouette forms for the background figures and landscape. However, his sense of perspective and recession are a bit skewed here.
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One Japanese source identifies the location of this scene as Ryōgoku.
Ebiya Rinnosuke (海老屋林之助) (publisher)
beautiful woman picture (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)
boshi-e (母子絵) (genre)
landscape prints (fūkeiga 風景画) (genre)