Utagawa Kunisada II (二代歌川国貞) (artist 1823 – 1880)
Bijin reading a letter by lantern light - from the series 'A Collection of Modern Beauties' Tōsei bijin soroe no uchi (當盛美人揃之内)
12/1855
10 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Ichijusai Kunisada ga
一寿斎国貞画
Publisher: Ebisuya Shōshichi (Marks 039 - seal 26-007)
Date seal: 12/1855
Censor's seal: aratame
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - another print from this series
Lyon Collection - another print from this series
Tokyo Metropolitan Library - another print from this series
Tokyo Metropolitan Library - and yet another print from this series
National Museums of Scotland The 'beauties' in this series appear to be either geisha or prostitutes associated with particular restaurants or teahouses used a places of assignation.
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There are two prints from this series in the Lyon Collection.
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We have found at least nine different prints from this series at the Museums of Scotland web site online. One interesting thing to note is that there were at least two different editions of this print from the Lyon Collection. You will be able to see this by clicking on the link above to a similar print in Scotland. They are the same in every way, except the example in Scotland has an extra cartouche added near the title cartouche. In fact, four different prints in that collection have similar additional identifying cartouches... which it should be pointed out do not appear on each edition of those particular prints. (JSV)
Ebisuya Shōshichi (恵比寿屋庄七) (publisher)
beautiful women (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)