Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25

by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Current Status

Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Original Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) Japanese Woodblock Print
Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25

Series; Thirty-Two Aspects of Women
Premium First Edition printing with 3 color cartouche

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.

First Edition Printing - This print comes from the first edition printing of this series, notable for the three color cartouche in the upper corner of each design. Later editions had only one or two colors. First edition prints, especially those in fine condition, are highly sought after by collectors.

Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25 - A wonderful summer scene in a Kyoto restaurant, the bamboo blinds rolled up to take advantage of the cool evening breeze. The young waitress has noticed an untrimmed candle wick in one of the paper lanterns, and she busily takes out a metal hairpin to adjust it. Her loosely worn summer kimono features a large palm leaf pattern, beautifully carved and printed to reproduce the original brushstrokes and subtle gradations of Yoshitoshi's design. Her elaborate hairstyle is very finely detailed and the kimono is faintly embossed. A beautiful image from the series.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 9 1/4" x 14 1/8"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail. A few small wormholes repaired from reverse. A light crease at the left edge. Some light toning at edges. Please see photos for details. Very nice overall.

Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
Observant: the appearance of a Kyoto waitress in the Meiji era, No. 25 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

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