Yoshitoshi: Looking Capable: Kyoto Waitress in the Meiji Era (Sold)

  • Sold.

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Title: Looking Capable; Kyoto Waitress in the Meiji Era
Series: Thirty-two Types of Women (Fuzoku sanjû-ni sô)
Date: 1888

“Looking capable: the apperance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji Era.” (Okigatsuki-so: Meiji nenkan saikyo nakai no fuzoku.) A fixer from a Kyoto geisha house attends to a lantern by preparing to trim the wick with her hairpin. According to John Stevenson’s description of nakai (waitress), this woman handled arrangements between geisha, customer and geisha house, so she needed to be able to handle many different matters. This summer scene shows her wearing a palm-leaf design robe that is overprinted with embossing to show the cotton texture. First edition, with 3-color cartouche.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Mint 1st edition.
Dimensions: ôban
Publisher: Tsunashima Kamekichi
Literature: See Stevenson “Yoshitoshi’s Women”, plate 25, page 78.
Seal: Taiso
Signature: Yoshitoshi

SKU: YOT750