$49 Opening Bid Auctions - We're excited to feature a special group of more than 200 antique woodblock prints starting at just $49 opening bid during the month of April! Choose from classic designs by master print artists such as Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, and more, with retail values as high as $1,500. All prints will be sold to the highest bidder with no reserve. Watch for new auctions each week. This Fuji Arts promotion is an excellent opportunity to potentially buy below dealer cost. Don't miss out!

The First Month, 1859 - Lovely triptych depicting the month of January from a series illustrating the "Tale of Genji." Prince Genji sits on a cushion at right, holding a shallow red lacquer cup of sake and smiling as he watches a shirabyoshi dancer perform for him. She wears a blue vest patterned with cranes in flight over a beautiful kimono shaded from rose to pale pink with a design of pine sprigs, bamboo leaves, and cherry blossoms. She gracefully waves a fan, looking down at the musician accompanying her on a small hand drum. Each of the women wears a black court cap, her hair adorned with clusters of small blue flowers and red ribbons. A low folding screen at right features flying cranes with poem slips tied to their legs, and the niche behind the screen holds scrolls with paintings of bamboo and one of the Seven Lucky Gods. Wonderful color and detail in this attractive scene, which includes delicate embossing in Genji's pale pink kimono and burnishing in the black court caps. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 27 5/8" x 14 1/8"

Condition - With excellent color and detail. Three panels attached at the seams. Backed with old paper. A horizontal crease at center. Some light rubbing and soiling at edges. Please see photos for details. Good overall.