Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art Auction
Lot 132:
Japanese Woodblock Print (Kuchi-e), Tokyo Geisha, Meiji Period, c. 1890s
Description
Meiji-period Japanese woodblock print (kuchi-e), c. 1890s, titled Tokyo Geisha. The composition depicts a refined bijin associated with Tokyo’s urban geisha culture, shown in an interior setting beneath a moonlit sky. Published by Oshima Tokusaburo and printed by Seida Jinjin, as indicated in the publisher and printer seals.
Kuchi-e prints such as this were produced as frontispiece illustrations for late-19th-century literary magazines and novels and are notable for their delicate coloration and refined portraiture.
Details
Period: Meiji period (c. 1888-1910)
Medium: Woodblock print (kuchi-e)
Publisher: Oshima Tokusaburōo
Printer: Seida Jinjin
Subject: Bijin / Tokyo geisha
Measurements: Paper measures 13 inches W x 17 H, frame measures 14 x 18 inches.
Condition: Typical age-related toning, wear, and paper handling consistent with kuchi-e format
Presentation: Framed
Catalogue Note
Kuchi-e frontispieces played a key role in the visual culture of Meiji-era Japan, bridging traditional ukiyo-e aesthetics with modern literary publishing. This example is a representative late-Meiji bijin image, combining elegant figure design with contemporary urban subject matter.
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