Bidspirit auction | Japanese Woodblock Print (Kuchi-e), Tokyo

Japanese Woodblock Print (Kuchi-e), Tokyo Geisha, Meiji Period, c. 1890s - Meiji-period Japanese woodblock print (kuchi-e), c. 1890s, titled Tokyo Geisha. The composition depicts a refined bijin associated with Tokyo’s urban geisha culture, shown in an interior setting beneath a moonlit sky. Published by Oshima Tokusaburo and printed by Seida Jinjin, as indicated in the publisher and printer seals. Kuchi-e prints such as this were produced as frontispiece illustrations for late-19th-century literary magazines and novels and are notable for their delicate coloration and refined portraiture. Details Period: Meiji period (c. 1888-1910) Medium: Woodblock print (kuchi-e) Publisher: Oshima Tokusaburōo Printer: Seida Jinjin Subject: Bijin / Tokyo geisha Measurements: Paper measures 13 inches W x 17 H, frame measures 14 x 18 inches. Condition: Typical age-related toning, wear, and paper handling consistent with kuchi-e format Presentation: Framed Catalogue Note Kuchi-e frontispieces played a key role in the visual culture of Meiji-era Japan, bridging traditional ukiyo-e aesthetics with modern literary publishing. This example is a representative late-Meiji bijin image, combining elegant figure design with contemporary urban subject matter.