歌川国直 — 吉祥の松台を持つ宮廷美人 · 彩色絵本の見開き、文政期 - Japan - Edo Period (1600-1868)
04
days
17
hours
56
minutes
17
seconds
No bids placed
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 138578 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Utagawa Kuninao, Edo period, original colour woodblock double page from the Bunsei era, two joined leaves depicting a court beauty with an auspicious pine stand, approx. 21.5 × 31 cm overall, country of origin Japan, provenance private collection, condition Fair with some restoration and handling dirt.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: Utagawa Kuninao (歌川国直, 1793–1854), pupil of Utagawa Toyokuni I
Title: Double page from Bijin Shokunin Zukushi (美人職人尽, "Beauties in the Trades")
Technique: Colour woodblock (nishiki-e), double book page from the original ehon
Date: Bunsei era (文政, 1818–1829)
Format: Two joined leaves, approx. 21.5 × 31 cm overall
----------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
A well-preserved impression with good colour saturation throughout. Some handling dirt on the lower margins. Some restoration. Please check the images!
-------------------------------------------------------
About the print
A quietly festive scene printed across two joined leaves. A young woman in classicising dress — long unbound hair, a crown of white blossom ornaments, layered robes of grey-and-plum, green and orange over a scarlet underskirt spread across the boards — kneels on the veranda steps of a garden pavilion, steadying a yellow lacquered stand set with pine and red-berried sprigs on a netted mound. Arrangements of this kind belong to the auspicious repertoire of the New Year and of wedding celebration, and the setting supports the mood: young pines crowd the foot of the steps, an arched vermilion bridge crosses the right-hand leaf, and long pink bands of dawn cloud lie across the empty sky at left. The colour is soft and evenly printed, with the restrained pinks and greens characteristic of good Bunsei book work.
Kuninao trained under Toyokuni I from around 1809 and made his name as an illustrator rather than a designer of single sheets — his first published work, in 1812, was for Shikitei Sanba, and he went on to illustrate a long run of gōkan and comic fiction for the same author. Ranked in his day among the strongest of Toyokuni's pupils alongside Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, he absorbed something of Hokusai's manner and is credited with influencing Kuniyoshi in turn. His books are considerably scarcer on the market than his teacher's, and individual pages such as this offer an affordable way into a designer whose work is better known to specialists than to general collectors.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Artist: Utagawa Kuninao (歌川国直, 1793–1854), pupil of Utagawa Toyokuni I
Title: Double page from Bijin Shokunin Zukushi (美人職人尽, "Beauties in the Trades")
Technique: Colour woodblock (nishiki-e), double book page from the original ehon
Date: Bunsei era (文政, 1818–1829)
Format: Two joined leaves, approx. 21.5 × 31 cm overall
----------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
A well-preserved impression with good colour saturation throughout. Some handling dirt on the lower margins. Some restoration. Please check the images!
-------------------------------------------------------
About the print
A quietly festive scene printed across two joined leaves. A young woman in classicising dress — long unbound hair, a crown of white blossom ornaments, layered robes of grey-and-plum, green and orange over a scarlet underskirt spread across the boards — kneels on the veranda steps of a garden pavilion, steadying a yellow lacquered stand set with pine and red-berried sprigs on a netted mound. Arrangements of this kind belong to the auspicious repertoire of the New Year and of wedding celebration, and the setting supports the mood: young pines crowd the foot of the steps, an arched vermilion bridge crosses the right-hand leaf, and long pink bands of dawn cloud lie across the empty sky at left. The colour is soft and evenly printed, with the restrained pinks and greens characteristic of good Bunsei book work.
Kuninao trained under Toyokuni I from around 1809 and made his name as an illustrator rather than a designer of single sheets — his first published work, in 1812, was for Shikitei Sanba, and he went on to illustrate a long run of gōkan and comic fiction for the same author. Ranked in his day among the strongest of Toyokuni's pupils alongside Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, he absorbed something of Hokusai's manner and is credited with influencing Kuniyoshi in turn. His books are considerably scarcer on the market than his teacher's, and individual pages such as this offer an affordable way into a designer whose work is better known to specialists than to general collectors.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Details
王朝様式/時代
Edo Period (1600-1868)
アイテム数
1
原産国
Japan
帰属
Original
高さ
22 cm
幅
32 cm
作品タイトル
Utagawa Kuninao — court beauty with an auspicious pine stand · colour ehon double page, Bunsei era
コンディション
Fair condition
来歴
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
