Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (1786-1865)
Three elegant young ladies making music together. They are playing the Koto, the Shamisen and the Shakuhachi flute. In the background, a large byôbu with a beautiful bamboo painting.
Title: Fûryu musume sankyoku (A musical trio of elegant young ladies)
Signature: Kunisada aratame nidaime Toyokuni ga
Publisher: Nunokichi, Edo
Censor: Tanaka
Date: 1844
Size: Oban-Triptych, 37, 8 x 76 cm (together)
Very good impression and colour. Sheets untrimmed, unbacked and not joined together. Creased; top and bottom areas with rubbing and soiling. Some stains and small wormholes; on the left margin of the middle sheet a small restored paper loss. Overall good condition of this very rare triptych.
Up to now only one other copy of this triptych known, see National Diet Library (info:ndljp/pid/1307765), in a slightly different colour variant.
Interestingly, the shakuchachi flute here is shown being played by a woman, at the time pretty unusual.
sold