Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3

by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Current Status

Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Original Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) Japanese Woodblock Print
Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3

Series; Thirty-Two Aspects of Women (Fuzoku sanjuniso)

Yoshitoshi's Thirty-two Aspects of Women - Yoshitoshi's finest series of bijin-ga or pictures of beautiful women, "Thirty-two Aspects of Women" features portraits of beauties in a lighthearted reference to the thirty-two notable features of Buddha. The women depicted come from all social classes, representing beauties from the late 18th century through Yoshitoshi's own time.

Each design captures a woman in a scene from daily life, realistically and sensitively portrayed as individuals rather than idealized figures. Elegant fabrics are beautifully rendered, and hairstyles and facial features are drawn with the most delicate of lines. The series was beautifully printed using deluxe techniques, such as soft bokashi shading, embossing, and burnishing, creating some of the finest prints of the Meiji era.

"Thirty-two Aspects" proved popular with the public when first published, and has been appreciated by viewers and collectors ever since. Designs in this fantastic series are some of the most highly sought after woodblocks of the Meiji era, and are certainly considered masterworks of Yoshitoshi's career.

Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3 - Intriguing image of a young prostitute having her arm tattooed, biting her handkerchief to stifle her cries of pain. The tattoo design appears to form the character for sakura (cherry blossom), most likely the name or nickname of her lover. The slightly disheveled wisps of hair framing the beauty's face, the red under robe, and the biting of the cloth add a slightly erotic character to the print that would have been recognized by Yoshitoshi's audience. An excellent design from the series.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 14" x 9 1/4" + margins

Condition - With excellent color and detail. Faint spotting in subject with a few areas of thinning along top edge. Light remnants from previous mounting on reverse. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.

Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
Painful: the appearance of a prostitute of the Kansei era, No. 3 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

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