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 illustrations 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. Sumptuous fabrics are beautifully rendered, and hairstyles and facial features are drawn with the most delicate of lines. The series was beautifully printed using the most costly techniques, such as delicate 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 great masterworks of Yoshitoshi's career.

Expectant: the appearance of a fireman's wife of the Kaei era, No. 19 - A young beauty, a fireman's wife, waits for her husband to arrive with an impatient look on her face. Firemen held a very high position in 19th century Edo, where the tightly packed wooden houses were prone to burn. The Japanese title of the print refers to the beauty as "anego," a polite form of address indicating her position of authority. Behind the young woman we can see her husband's padded fireman's coat, a sign of the family's importance and prosperity. A terrific design from the series.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 5/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Slight thinning and paper remnants on reverse at edges from previous mounting. Small losses at bottom left corner, repaired. Slight toning, a few creases near edges. Please see photos for details. Good overall.