Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞) / Toyokuni III (三代豊国) (artist 1786 – 01/12/1865)
The Second Month (Kisaragi - 如月) from the series The Twelve Months (Jūnika tsuki no uchi - 十二ヶ月の内)
1851
10 in x 14 in (Overall dimensions) color woodblock print; ōban
Signed: Toyokuni ga (豊国画)
Publisher: Minatoya Kohei (Marks 332 - seal 24-074)
Censor seals: Mera and Watanabe
Ukiyoe ni kiku
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Waseda University
Museums of Scotland
Cultural Heritage Online
Postal Museum Japan
Hiroshige Museum of Art, Ena The curatorial files of the Edinburgh Library notes about this print:
A scene from 'Rustic Genji' ('Inaka Genji'), which tells the story of Prince Mitsuuji in the search for his stolen sword, Kogarasumaru. In this violent scene, on a spring night with the cherry trees in bloom, Mitsuuji holds down a brigand dressed in black and beats him repeatedly. A young woman, clutching a letter between her teeth has been caught up in the struggle.Kisaragi refers to the 2nd month, with the ancient name known as "the month of wearing extra layers of clothes."
The genji-mon design behind the print title could be for the "Makibashira" chapter, the genji symbol designate for chapter 31 of the Tale of Genji [Genji monogatari] 11th-century novel, "The Handsome Pillar," which relates the adventures of a poem tucked behind a house pillar/support.
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Notice that the woman has blackened her teeth. During the Edo period married women were expected, i.e., required, to blacken their teeth even though that practice goes back to the Heian times when both men and women practiced this form of cosmetics.
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Illustrated in a small black and white reproduction in the Illustrated Catalogues of Tokyo National Museum: Ukiyo-e Prints (3), #2939.
Minatoya Kohei (湊屋小兵衛) (publisher)
Genji related prints (Genji-e - 源氏絵) (genre)