Diptyque original sur bois - Papier - Bijinga 一人 画, "belle image de personne" - Utagawa Kuniteru I (Sadashige) (act ca 1820-60) - Courtesans on a balcony overlooking a bay - Japon - 1855 (Ansei 2), 12e mois

Original woodblock print diptych - Utagawa Kuniteru I (Sadashige) (act ca 1820-60) - Courtesans on a balcony overlooking a bay - Japan - 1855 (Ansei 2), 12th month

Rare diptych by Utagawa Kunihiko (active ± 1850), an alias of Utagawa Kuniteru (act. 1820-60), with a double signature:
"Kuniteru aratame Kunihiko ga", in a toshidama cartouche, 国輝 舎 国 彦 画.
Kuniteru changed his name in the 2nd year of 1855 (Ansei) to Kunihiko II. For info see Lavenberg.
The diptych represents bijin-ga with an evening view of the river in the background. Presumably a scene from Genji's life (?) And part of a triptych.

The diptych was published in 1855 (Ansei), 12th month. A round aratame censorship stamp and an oval date stamp.
Publisher: Hori Takichi (彫 多吉)

Condition: good, with some minor edge restorations. Nishiki-e (bro 絵, "brocade picture"), some colour blur, some stains. Good register (adjusting the colour blocks on the mother block).

For a similar topic by the same artist and published in the same month, see Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: https://collections.mfa.org/objects/626446

The prints will be packaged with care and shipped registered by Bpost Tracking.