Yoshitoshi 芳年: Geisha Catching Fireflies (Looking Delighted) (SOLD)

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 芳年 (1839-1892)
Title: “Looking Delighted: The appearance of a present-day geisha of the Meiji Era”. 

Series: Thirty-two Types of Women (Fuzoku sanjû-ni sô) Date: 1888

“Looking Delighted: The appearance of a present-day geisha of the Meiji Era”. A young geisha has just caught a firefly between her hands, captured by Yoshitoshi at the charming moment where she has just gotten what she was after and does not quite know what to do with her prize. The night is a deep black above, a layer of mica adding to its beauty. Three fireflies are shown with their abdomens aglow, creating mini lanterns against the darkness. The beauty is wearing an open-weave silk robe that is so light that it is translucent and we see the shape of her arm beneath the fabric. She holds an uchiwa summer fan between her teeth and her right sleeve and hair strands are caught by the evening breeze. There is blindprinting in the fan to indicate the subtle ribbing. As noted by the incomparable John Stevenson in his description of this design: “The whole adds up to a delightfully fresh sensuality.”  With the three-colored cartouche that indicates an early (”first”) edition. Completely untrimmed, with the “extra” white margin at top and left; we see the edges of the blocks also at right and bottom.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Mint.

Dimensions: ôban (37.5 x 25.5 cm)
Publisher: Tsunashima Kamekichi
Literature: See John Stevenson’s “Yoshitoshi’s Women: The Woodblock Print Series “Fuzoku Sanjuniso””, Avery Press (1986) number 31. Keyes 1983, p. 482, no. 503.12. Segi 1985, p. 92, no. 103.10. van den Ing & Schaap 1992, p. 139, no. 63.10. Akita Museum of Modern of Art 1999, p. 46, no. 199. Seigle 2004, p. 12. Ota Memorial Museum of Art 2009, p. 12, no. 1.10. Signature: Yoshitoshi

SKU: YOT941