![Bijin trimming a plum branch - (<i>Mitate Mushi</i> / Snake [<i>Mi</i>] 見立虫 巳 ふしのうちはさみむし - <i>fushi no uchi hasami mushi</i>)](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/1/8/58550_ca_object_representations_media_1833_large.jpg)
![Bijin trimming a plum branch - (<i>Mitate Mushi</i> / Snake [<i>Mi</i>] 見立虫 巳 ふしのうちはさみむし - <i>fushi no uchi hasami mushi</i>)](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/1/8/19921_ca_object_representations_media_1833_icon.jpg){kind=icon}
![Bijin trimming a plum branch - (<i>Mitate Mushi</i> / Snake [<i>Mi</i>] 見立虫 巳 ふしのうちはさみむし - <i>fushi no uchi hasami mushi</i>)](https://woodblockprints.org/media/lyon_collection/images/2/6/74176_ca_object_representations_media_2687_icon.jpg){kind=icon}
Utagawa Sadakage (歌川貞景) (artist )
Bijin trimming a plum branch - (Mitate Mushi / Snake [Mi] 見立虫 巳 ふしのうちはさみむし - fushi no uchi hasami mushi)
ca 1830
9.5 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Gokotei Sadakage ga (五湖亭貞景画)
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (Marks 573 - seal 07-008)
Censor's seal: kiwame
As of September 26, 2024 we have only found two prints from this charming series. The one you see here and the other, which we have posted as a jpeg, from the collection of the Harvard Museums. The title cartouche of both examples start out with 見立虫 巳 or 'Mitate Mushi/Mi' or 'Snake'. That alone brings up a couple of questions which we will have to ask ourselves. The first is this intended to represent a 'snake' year - in this case 1824 or 1836, 1824 being possibly too early - or the 'snake' hour of the day, 9 to 11 AM? At this point we don't know which.
Wakasaya Yoichi (若狹屋与市) (publisher)
beautiful woman picture (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)
mitate-e (見立て絵) (author)