Two Bijin-ga (美人絵) Ukiyo-e Prints - Kikugawa Eizan (菊川英山，1787—1867) ,Torii Kiyomine (鳥居清峯) - Japan (No reserve price)

Title: Two Bijin-ga (美人絵) Ukiyo-e Prints
Artist:
Kikugawa Eizan (菊川英山，1787—1867)
Torii Kiyomine (鳥居清峯)
Craft Type: Woodblock Print
Artist’s Signature on Block
Paper Size:
36.5 × 24.5 cm (14.37 × 9.65 in)
36.5 × 23.5 cm (14.37 × 9.25 in)
Paper Material: Washi
These two beautiful Bijin-ga (美人絵) ukiyo-e prints are reissues from around the 1930 –1940s. Due to the passage of time, the paper shows signs of oxidation, yellowing, and mounting. Overall, they are in good condition.

The First Print:
It depicts a woman from the Edo period wearing a magnificent kimono, with an elaborate hairstyle and intricate kanzashi (簪). Her posture is elegant. The delicate patterns on her kimono, the layered colors, and the design of the obi (帯) reflect the fashion aesthetics of the time, demonstrating the meticulous attention to clothing details in Edo-period Bijin-ga. The background features irises and a stream. Irises are often associated with summer and elegant charm in Japanese culture. The ripples of the stream are depicted with smooth lines, creating a dynamic natural atmosphere that contrasts with the static beauty of the figure.
The Second Print:
It shows a woman from the Edo period in a gorgeous kimono, with a complex hairstyle adorned with various kanzashi and hair ornaments, reflecting the fashion style of the time. Beside her is a lively child, seemingly interacting with the woman, adding a touch of life to the scene. The woman’s kimono is richly patterned, featuring both origami crane motifs (symbolizing blessing and longevity) and floral designs. The harmonious and delicate color matching showcases the exquisite depiction of clothing details in ukiyo-e woodblock prints. On the left side of the background, bamboo and pine trees are part of the “Three Friends of Winter” (歳寒三友) in Japanese culture, often implying resilience, elegance, and also hinting at wishes for the New Year or good fortune. The interaction between the woman’s held object and the child may imply a folk scene or narrative plot from the Edo period.

Annotations:
Kikugawa Eizan is an important inheritor of Edo ukiyo-e Bijin-ga. He continued and developed the elegant style of Bijin-ga after Kitagawa Utamaro. His works are both realistic and lyrical, with figures often presenting an elegant “S-shaped” dynamic (as seen in the figure in the print). The colors are harmonious and layered, retaining the decorative nature of ukiyo-e while integrating delicate depictions of human expressions and natural scenery. He is a typical representative of the transition of Bijin-ga from the “Utamaro style” to modern styles in the late Edo period.
Torii Kiyomine is a ukiyo-e artist of the Torii school in the Edo period. The Torii school originated from yakusha-e (役者絵，actor prints) and later expanded into Bijin-ga. This work combines the decorativeness of the Torii school with the elegance of Bijin-ga, conveying the pursuit of “elegant” life and auspicious meanings in the Edo period through the combination of female images, clothing details, and folk symbols.

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- This item will be mailed by the postal service of Taiwan in the form of airmail with insurance attached.