Original woodblock print - Washi paper - Courtesans - Courtesans Imamurasaki, Takamado and Azumae of the Kinpei Daikoku 金瓶大黒 house in Shin Yoshiwara 新吉原 - Japan - 1862

Original woodblock print triptych - Utagawa Kunihisa II (1832-1891) - Courtesans Imamurasaki 今紫, Takamado 高窓 and Azumae 東江 of the Kinpei Daikoku 金瓶大黒 house of pleasure in Shin Yoshiwara 新吉原 - Japan - 1862 Important triptych of polychrome woodblock prints made by the artist Utagawa Kunihisa II 二代目歌川国久 (1831-1891) . The work, produced in 1862 by the publisher Koshimuraya Heisuke 越村屋平助, features three oiran 花魁 courtesans of the Kinpei Daikoku 金瓶大黒 house of pleasure in the Shin Yoshiwara 新吉原 district. The three women, whose names from left to right are Imamurasaki 今紫, Takamado 高窓 and Azumae 東江, are depicted together with their kamuro 禿 assistants in a small but gorgeous evening parade under the blossoming cherry trees. In Japanese history and culture the oiran were considered yujo 遊女, or "women of pleasure", but their social status was very different from that of the ordinary yujo: the oiran were in fact entertainers rather than prostitutes and many of them were so popular that they became celebrities even outside the pleasure districts. Their art led them alongside men of power and their way of dressing was often at the origin of fashions and trends. Signature: 'Kunihisa ga' 国久画 in toshidama-shaped cartouche Publisher: Koshimuraya Heisuke 越村屋平助 (act ca 1843-65) Seal name 'Kohei' 越村 The rare prints on Japanese washi paper 和紙, despite evident signs of aging (in particular some small holes and restorations, slight paper thinning and wrinkles) , are in overall good condition (please, look at the detailed pictures) . Overall size of the triptych: 37 x 74 cm The right and left sheets of the triptych are in the collection of the Funabashi City Municipal Museum. See Adeac Digital Database: Azumae 東江 https: //trc-adeac. trc. co. jp/Html/Image. View/1220415100/1220415100100020/90900047/ and Imamurasaki 今紫 https: //trc-adeac. trc. co. jp/Html/Image. View/1220415100/1220415100100020/90900048/ The woodblock prints will be well-packaged and shipped by registered mail with a tracking code.