Ukiyo-e Japanese coloured woodblock c. 1855 by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Ukiyo-e Japanese coloured woodblock by Utagawa Kunisada, also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III. The aratame seal dates date it to 1854-1857.

The woodblock is in excellent condition, with only a tiny bit of rubbing on the bottom right hand seal, which does not detract at all from the picture’s vibrancy and clarity. It depicts a charming scene of two children playing with a fan as a young man pauses to watch. The publisher is Sanoki and the print comes from the series Ima Genji Nishiki-e Awase. It was framed in 1936 by Crosshill Art Galleries, Glasgow.

Kunisada (1786-1865) was active for a long time as the central figure in the Utagawa School. He was the most popular, prolific and commercially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. The poet Tenmei R?jin (1781-1861) praised him as one of the three greatest ukiyo-e masters of the day, alongside Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.