UTAMARO: oban tate-e (36.9 x 25.7cm.); a bust portrait of the courtesan Tagasode of the Daimonjiya smoking a tobacco pipe from the series Seiro nana Komachi "The seven Komachi of the licensed quarters", signed Utamaro hitsu, first state with seal honke, yellow ground, details of the costume blind-printed, published by Ikumura Jizaemon--very good impression, good color and condition

Details

UTAMARO: oban tate-e (36.9 x 25.7cm.); a bust portrait of the courtesan Tagasode of the Daimonjiya smoking a tobacco pipe from the series Seiro nana Komachi "The seven Komachi of the licensed quarters", signed Utamaro hitsu, first state with seal honke, yellow ground, details of the costume blind-printed, published by Ikumura Jizaemon--very good impression, good color and condition

Provenance

Hayashi Tadamasa

Lot Essay

Another impression was sold in these Rooms, March 27th, 1991, lot 422.

The yellow ground, the flesh-colored outline on the face and the honke seal under the signature indicate that this is the first edition. Later, the flesh lines are in black, the yellow ground is replaced by grey and the honke seal is removed.

Not in Asano and Clark The passionate art of Kitagawa Utamaro (London/Tokyo, British Museum Press/Asahi Shimbun, 1995), who illustrate four others from the series, pls. 182-185