The Twenty-four Hours at Shinbashi and Yanagibashi - The Shinbashi and Yanagibashi were famous pleasure quarters in Tokyo. The geisha within were fascinating to the public and many woodblock print series were created detailing the lives they led. Each design in this 24-print series depicts the activities of a different geisha at a specific hour of the day. Published in 1880, the writer-journalist Takabatakae Ransen (1838 - 85) composed the text in the insets on each print. This captivating series by Yoshitoshi strongly cemented his place in the genre of bijin-ga, pictures of beautiful women.

Throughout the series are indicators of the increasing influence of Western cultures on Japan, from the Western-style newspapers mentioned to the very nature of the twenty-four-hour clock itself. This series is an excellent opportunity for those interested in the rapid changes taking place in Japan during the Meiji era, and for Yoshitoshi collectors alike. Don't miss out on these incredible pieces!

12 noon - Geisha Posing for a Photograph - Wonderful portrait of a geisha posing solemnly for a photograph, sitting erect in an ornately carved chair. She must hold very still so the image will not blur, which gives her a look of prim stiffness. She wears a brown kimono over a light blue under robe with a design of graceful curved lines. Nearby, a miniature blossoming cherry tree sits in a striped pot on a table covered with a patterned cloth. The inset above shows the photographer hidden under the cloth covering his camera as he works. A great image illustrating the modernization of Japan during the Meiji era.

Translation of Inset Text:

I wish I were a mirror
And had its half
Of that beautiful face,
And envy the photographer his art
Through which he can meet
And stare at it so closely.

The light striking her cheek
From one side
Somehow makes her look
Like one from the quarter,
But elsewhere there is a gentility
And refinement.

The Tsukuba gentry,
Who live in flower gardens,
With a view of Fuji,
Must see her snowy skin
Reflecting the sun
As the cynosure of beauty,
First in all Yanagibashi.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 13 1/8" x 8 7/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with nice detail as shown. Creasing throughout. Please see photos for details.