Comment - The Almost-full Moon at Masaki - Charming image of a beauty carrying a sword wrapped in red brocade cloth and a pouch. Her hair is unusually styled in a male style, with a topknot combed to the side into a curve. She wears a heavy brown coat patterned with plum blossoms, paulownia flowers, and pine sprigs over a blue kimono bordered with colorful figural kites, including a yakko-dako ("yakko dako", "奴凧") or man kite and a bird-of-prey kite ("tonbi dako", "鳶凧"), along with spools of kite string. Below the yakko kite is a fan kite ("Sensu tako", "扇子凧") with the design of the Japanese Flag. The semicircular inset at right shows an evening view of a tea stand at Masaki along the water's edge. A lovely design from this rarely seen Kuniyoshi beauty series.

KUNIYOSHI and KUNISADA (I) were both disciples of TOYOKUNI (I). Thus both of them sometimes having been working on the same subject. There is a version by KUNISADA, with the same title, yet slightly different patterns. You may compare both prints at the preceeding link.


Series - "Famous Places for Moon-viewing in the Eastern Capital" ("Tôto tsuki no meisho", "東都月の名所"), written in the red cassette upper left


Artist - see Biography


Signature -  Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga (一勇斎国芳画)


Publisher - Kawachō (河長)


Image Size - 35.8 x 24.7cm   (14 1/8" x 9 3/4")


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