Untitled series of women in the twelve months

Publisher: Ise-ya Rihei (伊勢屋利兵衛)

1835

 

Although this series is untitled, each print has its own title as well as an inset view within a toshidama.  The toshidama was the emblem of the Utagawa school of ukiyo-e print designers.  About 1844, Kuniyoshi’s competitor Kunisada declared himself the head of the Utagawa school and adopted the name Toyokuni.  At this time, Kuniyoshi distanced himself from the school and ceased using the toshidama seal.  This print series is listed as number 76 in Kuniyoshi by Basil William Robinson (Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1961).  The prints are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban.

 

 

Title: The First Day of the Hare in the First Month (Tangetsu no hatsû)

Month: 1st month

Description: Beauty with two children

Inset:

 

 

Title: The River Festival in the Fifth Month (皐月 川開 両国ばし, Satsuki kawabiraki)

Month: 5th month

Description: Two women in a boat with fireworks

Inset: Ryogoku Bridge

Text in inset: Ryogoku Bridge (両国ばし, Ryôgokubashi)

 

 

 

Title: Visiting Fuji (無水月 富士参)

Month: 6th month

Description: Seated woman with standing child

Text in inset:

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this image.

 

Title: Festival of the Seventh Month (文月 七夕, Fumizuki no  tanabata)

Month: 7th month

Description: Woman and child at the Tanabata Festival

Inset: Rooftops bristling with Tanabata grass

 

 

Title: Clear Moon in August (清月 , Seigetsu no tsuki)

Month: 8th month

Description:

Inset: Ships at the Eitai bridge

 

 

A reproduction of the above design of uncertain date

 

Title: Ninth Month (Sairei kikuzuki)

Month: 9th month

Description: Woman wearing Chinese robes and a dragon headdress followed by a young servant holding a fan

Inset: Festival scene

 

 

I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this simplified printing of the above design.

 

Title: Tatsumi in October (無神月 辰巳, Kannazuki tatsumi)

Month: 10th month

Description: Woman seated beside a clothes line with an account book open across her knee with a child beside her

Inset: The entrance to Tomioka Hachiman shrine

Text in inset: Hachiman (八幡)

 

 

Title:

Month:

Description: Mother and child on a veranda

 

 

Title:

Month:

Description: Woman washing her feet

 

I am grateful to Milan Kulheim for this image.

 

 

Title:

Month:

Description: Woman holding box with child watching

 

 

Title:

Month:

Description: Woman with boy holding mask aloft

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