Famous Restaurants of the Eastern Capital - Handsome print from a collaborative series by Toyokuni III and Hiroshige, published between 1852 and 1853. Toyokuni III created the large actor portraits in the foreground, with Hiroshige designing the smaller landscape and still-life insets relating to the featured restaurant or its location. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has many of these images in its collection. These attractive designs are beautifully colored and detailed, making them a great choice for a collector interested in Edo era woodblocks.

Ogura-an Restaurant, 1852 - Nice portrait of kabuki actor Suketakaya Takasuke III as the otokodate or street knight Ume no Yoshibei in the play "Sumida-no-haru Geisha-katagi." After the shop apprentice Chokichi saves him from robbers one night, he in turn kills Chokichi for his money, unaware that he has just murdered his own brother-in-law. He wears a distinctive cloth headdress, his black kimono patterned with crows, a symbol of bad luck, worn over a red under robe with a design of white herons, denoting innocence, representing the two sides of his nature. The fan-shaped inset above features the shore at Mukojima-koume, with a still-life of a teapot and cups on trays at left for the Ogura-an Restaurant. A handsome composition with delicate embossing on the red under robe.

Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858) and Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 14 1/8" x 9 5/8"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Backed with paper. A few faint stains near top edge, slight soiling. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.