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Asian Art

Beauties of the Latest Fashion Compared with the Beauty of Flowers (Tosei Bijin), from Flower Playing Cards (Hana-awase)

Gosotei Toyokuni II

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Object Label

Toyokuni II, or Utagawa Toyoshige, was a student and adopted son of Utagawa Toyokuni. Toyokuni II’s work strongly resembled that of his teacher, and that similarity, paired with his use of Toyokuni’s name—especially his exact signature—continues to raise questions about the authorship of certain prints. Like the woman in the adjacent image, the subject of this “blue-printed” print wears a kimono printed with bats, an emblem of good luck that appeared often on decorative arts. However, the use of a bat shape for the title cartouche here is highly unusual.

Caption

Gosotei Toyokuni II (Japanese, 1802–1835). Beauties of the Latest Fashion Compared with the Beauty of Flowers (Tosei Bijin), from Flower Playing Cards (Hana-awase), ca. 1830–35. Woodblock print, 15 1/4 x 10 1/2 in. (38.7 x 26.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 76.151.14. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Collection

Asian Art

Title

Beauties of the Latest Fashion Compared with the Beauty of Flowers (Tosei Bijin), from Flower Playing Cards (Hana-awase)

Date

ca. 1830–35

Period

Edo Period

Geography

Place made: Japan

Medium

Woodblock print

Classification

Print

Dimensions

15 1/4 x 10 1/2 in. (38.7 x 26.7 cm)

Signatures

Artist's signature: Toyokuni ga.

Markings

Publisher's seal. Censor seal: Kiwame

Credit Line

Anonymous gift

Accession Number

76.151.14

Frequent Art Questions

  • So the red stamps on the prints are ownership marks?

    Typically the marks in red are the artist's seal. Publisher and censor marks would also appear on prints, but tend not to be red.

  • What exactly is Prussian Blue? The notes say simply that it's a synthetic pigment. Do you know any more about it?

    Prussian blue is a synthetic pigment that is smoother and more well suited to printmaking than plant and mineral dyes.
    Cool. That's why this print looks so rich and detailed. I love the depth of color
    Yes, so did Japanese printmakers like Toyokuni II, Hokusai, and Hiroshige!
    I'm sure it was very inspiring to have materials like this to work with.
    Monochromatic blue Aizuri-e prints like this were a common form of ukiyo-e print.
    The Berlin blue, or Prussian blue, while it was developed in the first decade of the 18th century in Germany, entered the Asian market by the mid 18th century. It took until the 1820s for the price to go down, and the material to become more affordable. That's when it became practical for prints!

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Artists and makers

Gosotei Toyokuni II

4 works in the collection