Comment - Image of a beauty playing the shamisen as she strolls about the streets. A "shamisen" ("三味線"), literally "three strings", is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument. A boy behind her (only a leg and part of his yukata is to be seen), is preparing to fly a large blue and white Edo kite ("Edo tako", "江戸 凧") with kanji characters on it ("Kanji kite", "ji tako", "字凧"). Typical thick tailropes are connected to the Edo kite. A Yakko or man-kite ("yakko dako", "奴凧") is fluttering high in the air. The itinerant musician smiles happily as she plays, wearing an intricately patterned floral kimono tied with a striped obi, and a large woven hat.

The title is writen within the red cassette upper left. "Haruno no giha i" ("春のにぎはい") literally means "Springtime Dailies in a Grip" and alludes to the shamisen playing.


Series - ~


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga (一勇斎国芳画) lower right in yellowish ("Ichiyûsai") and reddish ("Kuniyoshi ga") adjacent cassettes with red kiri seal underneath


Publisher - Ebi-ya Rinnosuke (seal, 海老屋林之助), Kaiju-dō Publisher's (海寿堂)


Image Size - 24.8 X 35.6cm   (9 3/4" x 14")


Condition - single sheet; nishiki-e (cloured woodblock); Vertical ôban (ôban tate-e);