Ukiyo-e – A Cool Evening After Rain (雨意の納涼) - Torii Kiyonaga (鳥居清長) - 日本 (没有保留价)

Title: Ukiyo-e – A Cool Evening After Rain (雨意の納涼)
Artist: Torii Kiyonaga (鳥居清長), active Tenmei Period, Edo Era (1781–1789)
Technique: Woodblock print
Signature: Block-signed by the artist
Print Paper Size: 39 × 25 cm (15.35 × 9.84 in)
Album Leaf Size: 46.8 × 31 cm (18.43 × 12.20 in)
Material: Washi paper

This exquisite polychrome nishiki-e woodblock print is a classic Edo-period bijin-ga (美人画) ukiyo-e (浮世絵) by Torii Kiyonaga, the leading master of Tenmei-era beauty paintings. This impression is a later reprint produced from the original Edo woodblocks during the late Meiji to Taishō period (1900–1930).

Bijin-ga (美人画), or "paintings of beautiful women", is a core representative genre of Edo-period ukiyo-e.

These artworks depict the daily leisure scenes of townspeople women in Edo, preserving authentic summer folk customs, and stand as a classic representation of traditional Japanese figurative woodblock art.

Torii Kiyonaga specialized exclusively in bijin-ga and created his signature elegant eight-head-proportion female figure style. Renowned for sophisticated multi-layer colour printing techniques, he produced numerous waterside cooling scenes throughout the Tenmei era, masterfully capturing graceful Edo women relaxing inside riverside machiya (町屋) townhouses.

This work portrays three elegant Edo women enjoying cool air after rainfall on the open veranda of a riverside machiya. The foreground woman kneels holding a folding fan, with a small incense burner beside her to repel mosquitoes and freshen the air. The central woman leans against a lattice window and gazes toward the Sumida River (隅田川), while the woman on the right stands gracefully holding a round fan. The background shows Azuma Bridge (吾妻橋), drifting river boats and distant Edo townscapes. Hanging paper lanterns set off the fresh post-rain atmosphere, perfectly matching the poetic title A Cool Evening After Rain (雨意の納涼) and delivering vivid authentic Edo urban charm.

The composition balances interior figures and outdoor scenery with distinct, well-defined layers. Crisp carving lines clearly render architectural details and delicate kimono patterns. The soft harmonious palette blending indigo purple, pale turquoise and vermilion red embodies Kiyonaga’s iconic bijin-ga style. Fluid, precise carving naturally shapes gentle garment folds and subtle soft facial features.

Traditional multi-block polychrome woodblock print on vintage Japanese washi paper. The carved lines remain intact, with well-preserved layered colour saturation. The print bears the original block signature “Kiyonaga ga (清長画)” on the left margin. It comes with its original period folding album leaf, printed with a vertical blue cartouche marked with the artwork title and artist’s name.

Due to its antique age, both the woodblock print and matching album leaf show natural age-related yellowing and minor foxing. The paper lies fully flat without tears, cracks or repairs, overall in fine vintage condition consistent with its age.

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