The Maidservant Ohatsu, 1859 - Great portrait of the maidservant Ohatsu, who avenged her mistress's death. Ohatsu served Onoe, a junior lady-in-waiting. Onoe's senior, the evil Iwafuji, caused the suicide of Onoe by exchanging a sandal for a valuable statue in Onoe's care, then publicly humiliating her over the incident. The faithful Ohatsu decided to kill Iwafuji, and stalked her in the palace garden one night, stabbing her with a sword. Here, she wipes the blade clean using the very sandal that started the chain of events, looking back over her shoulder with Onoe's farewell letter caught between her teeth. One sleeve of her blue kimono is pushed down to the waist, revealing a red under robe with a mauve trim, her hair tied back with a dotted towel. A dipper rests in a stone water basin at right, with plants below. Wonderful embossed detail in the letter, white under robe, and the mauve trim. A handsome image of this loyal employee. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has this image in their collection.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 13 3/4" x 9 7/8" + margins as shown

Condition - With excellent color and detail as shown. A few small holes repaired from reverse. Some light rubbing and soiling at edges. Please see photos for details. Good overall.