Comment - Lovely portrait of a beauty at New Year's, looking up as she watches several kites flying through the sky on the "First Easterly Breeze", as the title of the print mentions on the left centre margin. Two Edo kites are floating in the left upper sky, tails, line and bridle lines nearly vanished in the mist of the sky, a correctly bridled Yakko kite is to be seen. Center left, a Tonbi Tako or Hawk kite (鳶凧) is roaming the sky. A blossoming plum branch frames the scene from below. This ukiyo-e is a fine example with nihonga style features.

The Japanese postal service issued a 90 JPY commemorative stamp with this woodblock for the 2012 "International Letter-Writing Week"

Series -

Artist - see Biography


Signature -  right lower center, with red oviform stamp


Publisher -  Momose Publishing House (モモセ版, Momose-ban, at front margin center left), or Momose Hanga Bijutsu (モモセ版画美術) (at certificate)


Image Size - 38.1 X  47.6 cm  (15 1/4" x 18 3/4") + margins as shown

Condition - single panel; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical  largeôban (ooban tate-e);