Edo prints
| Design: | Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) | |||||
| Series title: | Ten Physiognomic Classes of Women | |||||
| Unofficial print title: | Woman reading a letter | |||||
| Size: | 38.0 x 25.3 cm (ōban) | |||||
| Posthumous printing from newly cut woodblocks | ||||||
| Photography: | Jacques Commandeur |
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Special effects: white mica background.
Originally published ca. 1792-3 by publisher Tsutaya Juzaburō (1750-1797), this reproduction was published ca. 1920 under the supervision and in the studio of Hashiguchi Goyō (1880-1921) from newly carved woodblocks.
Series title in right column of the cartouche:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 婦 | fu | woman | |
| 女 | jō | female | |
| 人 | nin | person | |
| 相 | sō | physiognomy | |
| 十 | jū | ten | Ten physiognomic |
| 品 | hinhon | article | classes of women |
Artist’s name in left column of the cartouche:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 相 | sō | physiognomy | |
| 見 | kan | see | |
| 歌 | uta | poem | |
| 麿 | maro | you | Thoughtfully drawn |
| 考 | kō | think over | by Utamaro |
| 画 | ga | picture | the physiognomist |
Iwa seal in lower left area of the print and red Goyo publisher seal in lower left margin.
References
- Asano, Shūgō, and Clark, Timothy (1995). The passionate art of Kitagawa Utamaro (2 volumes in slipcase). Tokyo: Asahi Shimbun.
- Collia-Suzuki, Gina (2009). The Complete Woodblock Prints of Kitagawa Utamaro. A Descriptive Catalogue. Weston-super-Mare, United Kingdom: Nezu Press.
- Forrer, Matthi (1994). Japanese Prints (2 volumes in slipcase). Vol. 10-11, Genève: Collections Baur.
- Tadashi Kobayashi (1997). Ukiyo-e. An introduction to Japanese woodblock prints. Tokyo: Kodansha International
Provenance: Chris Uhlenbeck’s Hotei Japanese Prints