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: 1^st 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: 5^th 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: 6^th 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 の 七夕, Fumizuki no tanabata) Month: 7^th month Description: Woman and child at the Tanabata Festival Inset: Rooftops bristling with Tanabata grass
	Title: Clear Moon in August (清月 の 月, Seigetsu no tsuki) Month: 8^th month Description: Inset: Ships at the Eitai bridge
	A reproduction of the above design of uncertain date
	Title: Ninth Month (Sairei kikuzuki) Month: 9^th 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: 10^th 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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