First calligraphy of the New Year, from the series Fūryū kinki shoga (A Fresh Look at the Four Accomplishments)

First calligraphy of the New Year, from the series Fūryū kinki shoga (A Fresh Look at the Four Accomplishments)

Utagawa Toyokuni (Japanese, 1769–1825)

publisher: Enomotoya Kichibei (Japanese, active Edo ca. 1786-1830s)

late 1790s

Japan: Edo period (1615-1868)

color woodblock print with embossing on paper; ōban nishiki-e

Ukiyoe shūka v. 9, no. 171

image: 13 3/4 in x 9 3/4 in; sheet: 14 13/16 in x 9 3/4 in

series title: 風流 / 琴棋書画, printed in black within rectangular cartouche on white reserve ground, upper right Transliteration (Translation): fūryū kinki shoga (fashionable four accomplishments) Language: Japanese

inscription: あらたまの // としの始に // 筆とりて // よろずの宝 // 我そかきとる, printed in black ink, center Transliteration (Translation): Aratama no // toshi no hajime ni // fude torite // yorozu no takara // ware zo kakitoru (At the beginning of the fresh-as-a-new-jewel year, taking my brush I write down for posterity a myriad treasures) Language: Japanese Description: Calligraphy written on handscroll held by courtesan

publisher's mark: 吉 [under single mountain motif], printed in black ink, bottom left Transliteration (Translation): Kichi ([seal of the publisher Enomotoya Kichibei 榎本屋吉兵衛]) Language: Japanese Description: Edo publisher, firm Hōeidō 豊栄堂 active ca. 1786-1830s

censor's mark: 極, printed in black relief within circular cartouche, lower left Transliteration (Translation): kiwame (approval) Language: Japanese

signature: 豊國画, printed in black ink, lower left Transliteration (Translation): Toyokuni ga (picture [by] Toyokuni) Language: Japanese

The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection

32.341

public domain

Edo

Japanese woodblock prints

nishiki-e

oban

relief printing

relief prints

The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection

woodcuts