Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10

by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Current Status

Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Original Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) Japanese Woodblock Print
Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10

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.

Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10 - The beautiful high-ranking courtesan shown here was poetically known as a "castle-toppler," referring to the way that beauties can cause rulers to ignore affairs of state. This lovely young woman is very elegantly attired in a fine silk kimono befitting her high rank, the white collar nicely embossed. Her hair is pinned high with multiple tortoiseshell combs and decorative hairpins with a seashell motif. A classic courtesan and lovely Japanese beauty. A wonderful print from Yoshitoshi's series with fine detail. Includes burnishing on the black outer kimono.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 13 3/4" x 9 1/4"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Wormhole at edge, a couple small holes, repaired. Ink offsetting at lower right, slight soiling. Please see photos for details. Good overall.

Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
Feminine: the appearance of a castle-toppler of the Tempo era, No 10 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

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