Flowers of Edo and Views of Famous Places - Terrific design from an 1862 - 1865 series by Toyokuni III pairing kabuki actors with famous areas of Edo, done in collaboration with several different artists. Toyokuni III created the large actor portraits, while other artists such as Hiroshige II, Sadahide, Kunihisa, and Kyosai contributed the landscape designs and other scenes across the top. The term "Flowers of Edo" in the title here refers to fires, and each title cartouche features the standard or matoi and lantern of a different Edo fire brigade. The expressive portraits are beautifully detailed with fine line work and an intricate wood grain background. A beautifully printed series, with many images featuring fine shading, embossing, or touches of burnishing. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has many prints from this series in its collection. A great choice for a kabuki enthusiast.

From the Huguette Beres Collection - The reverse features the circular "Beres" seal of the world-renowned Japanese woodblock collector and dealer Huguette Beres, who died in 1999. Beres, who founded the Galerie Beres in Paris in 1951, amassed one of the finest private collections of ukiyo-e prints in the world, which was sold at auction by Sotheby's in 2002 and 2003. See example of seal below. A great opportunity to purchase a woodblock with a fascinating provenance.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 13 1/4" x 8 3/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with nice detail as shown. Backed with paper. Please see photos for details.