Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Port Townsend, Washington

UTAGAWA KUNIYOSHI

歌川国芳

うたがわくによし

1797-1861

Series: "Stories of Wise and Virtuous Women"

Kenjo Reppuden

揃い物: 賢女烈婦傳

Title: "The Maid Hatsu"

Date: ca. 1841-2

Signed: Chōōrō Kuniyoshi ga

Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō

版元: 伊場屋仙三郎

Print Size: 14" x 9 3/4"

Illustrated:
1. Another copy of this print is shown on line at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
web site. It is from the William Sturgis Bigelow Collection -accession number 11.36481

2. There is also a copy of this print from the Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna exhibited on-line.

SOLD!

THANKS L!

There is an interesting point about this series

which I just noticed - there are no censor

seals on any of the prints from this group

 - including the ones published in

Heroes and Ghosts:

Japanese Prints by Kuniyoshi 1797-1861.

Hopefully someone out there in the ether

can help us to explain this conundrum.

Perhaps there is a simple answer

which I am missing.

It is common practice not to put date or censor seals on death memorial prints, shunga or surimono, but the print featured on this page in not in any of those categories. While I have seen prints without publisher seals or any other identifying marks such as signatures, etc., I have never noticed another series of such quality as this one that lacks any seals which would indicate the approximate dates. The dating was probably established on stylistic grounds and the established period when this particular signature was used by Kuniyoshi.