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.

Enjoying herself: the appearance of a teacher of the Kaei era, No. 20 - A lovely music teacher is shown playing the shamisen, an instrument associated with the profession of geisha. Possibly a retired geisha herself, she would have been charged with teaching the geisha to play this beautiful stringed instrument. It is wintertime, and as Japanese houses were drafty, she is shown wearing several heavy layers of kimono and a red under robe with a lavender collar. A lovely, charming print and an excellent design from Yoshitoshi's Women series.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

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

Condition - With excellent color and detail. A couple small losses at corners, repaired from reverse. Minor soiling in subject with faint remnants from previous mounting. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.