Kunisada 国貞: Beauty Reading a Letter Next to an Andon
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada 国貞 ()1786-1865)
Title: Kenko no Tsurezuregusa (兼好のつれづれ草)
Series: 教訓植附垣根ノ中 Moral Instructions Grown in a Hedge Date: ca. 1845
A beauty crouches next to the light of a fancy andon (lamp), holding up a letter to read its contents in private. She wears a beautiful purple kimono with alternating patterns atop several layers of patterned red under-robes. Tsurezuregusa is a collection of works known as “Notes from Leisure Hours”, written by the Japanese monk Kenko in the 14th century. At the upper left is an inset cartouche with lilies and text that probably is excerpted from this work by Kenko, which is one of the most famous and studied works of medieval Japanese literature.
Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. There is a layer of paper missing from the back in a 1 cm area in the white background. Fold along left margin. Beautifully printed, with mica in the sky.
Dimensions: ôban (35 x 24.8 cm) Publisher: Kimuraya Shigezo
Signature: Toyokuni ga
SKU: KUS583