Kuniyoshi 国芳: View of the Pleasure Quarters of Yokohama 横浜廓の図

Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi 国芳 (1797-1861)

Title: View of the Pleasure Quarters of Yokohama (Yokohama kuruwa no zu) 横浜廓の図

Date: 1860, 6th Month

Fascinating “bird’s-eye” view from above of the bustling pleasure quarters in the pivotal year when foreigners flooded the exotic new port city of Yokohama, which opened to them in 1859. We see the Miyozaki red-light district 港崎遊郭 on the right, which opened November 10, 1859 on the Ôtaya-shinden, which was reclaimed land.  It was modelled after the long-established Edo Yoshiwara district, and a moat was built surrounding the quarter by using the water channeled from from the River Ôoka. Therefore we see only one big entrance gate, Daimon, with a cherry tree to the right, that leads into the quarter. The famous Ganki-rô 岩亀楼 (Tea House) is on the left. The pleasure quarters were later moved  to Yoshiwara-cho吉原町, Takashima-cho高島町 and Eishin永真 following a fire in 1866. Sadahide also made a panoramic view of these quarters.

Kuniyoshi designed very few Yokohama-e scenes, and he seems more interested in the landscape than in making a close study of the foreigners. Large cherry trees blossom throughout the quarter. To the left we see what looks like a preamble arcade, with teashops that would perhaps arrange for visits with specific courtesans in the pleasure district. Inside the quarter, we see two Chinese men, and two other foreign men wearing western clothes. Two Japanese have stopped to gawk openly at the still-new sight of the foreigners, one with his hand scratching his head. In the distance we see many tall-masted ships that must have brought to the foreign visitors to these shores. Kuniyoshi passed away the following year, on March 5, 1861. We can also note that all of the colors in use here are still the older, nature-based pigments (except for Prussian Blue), although new colorants will start to appear in woodblock prints shortly after this date, as new colorants flooded in along with the foreign guests.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Untrimmed and unbacked, with near-pristine colors. As mint condition as can be found on a triptych from this date.

Dimensions: ôban triptych (37.5 x 25.2 cm each sheet)
Publisher: Izumiya Ichibei 泉市　（和泉屋市兵衛）Seal: Yoshi kiri
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga 一勇斎國芳画

SKU: KUY640