Near perfect condition. The colors remain vivid, and the printed lines are exceptionally sharp. The triptych displays beautifully with only minimal signs of age, making it an outstanding example of early Meiji woodblock printing.
This original horizontal ōban triptych was designed in 1868 (Meiji 1) by Utagawa Yoshitora and published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke. Titled Akegarasu Haru (明烏春, Spring of the Dawn Crow), it captures an elegant gathering of fashionable women within a richly decorated interior.
The composition depicts women engaged in the refined pursuits expected of educated ladies during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. One writes large calligraphy on a hanging sheet while another performs on a koto. Around them, attendants prepare textiles and household items as others read, write, and converse, creating a scene that celebrates learning, music, and artistic accomplishment. Large windows overlook waterways and the surrounding city, linking the luxurious interior with the bustling urban world beyond.
Published during the first year of the Meiji era, the print represents the final flourishing of Edo-period bijin-ga before Japan entered a period of rapid modernization. Rather than focusing on historical drama or Kabuki theatre, Yoshitora celebrates the elegance of domestic life through elaborate kimono, finely crafted furnishings, musical instruments, and decorative interiors.
Renowned for his highly detailed multi-sheet compositions, Yoshitora filled his prints with richly patterned textiles and meticulously rendered architectural settings. Today, works such as this provide an exceptional visual record of nineteenth-century Japanese fashion, interior design, and the cultivated arts practiced within elite households.
An outstanding early Meiji triptych combining exceptional decorative detail with one of Yoshitora's finest domestic genre scenes.
