On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Cheerful-looking: Ryо̄goku Bridge

Woodblock Print
1822-23 (published)
Artist/Maker
Keisai Eisen (designer)
Place of origin
Edo (published)
Japan (made)

Woodblock print. Ōban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). Figure on plain ground with inset landscape.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Make-Up
Object type
Woodblock print
Titles
  • Cheerful-looking: Ryо̄goku Bridge (assigned by artist)
  • Twelve Views of Modern Beauties (series title)
Materials and techniques
Colour print from woodblocks
Paper
Woodblock Print
Brief description
Woodblock print, 'Cheerful-looking: Ryо̄goku Bridge, from the series Twelve Views of Modern Beauties, by Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), Edo (Tokyo), ca.1822–23
Physical description
Woodblock print. Ōban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). Figure on plain ground with inset landscape.
Dimensions
  • Height: 38.1cm
  • Width: 25.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Ki ga karusou, Ryо̄gokubashi (Picture title)
    Translation
    Cheerful-looking: Ryо̄goku Bridge
  • Imayо̄ bijin jūnikei (Series title)
    Translation
    Twelve Views of Modern Beauties
  • Keisai Eisen ga (Signature)
    Translation
    Designed by Keisai Eisen
Gallery label
(31/5/2022)
In the late Edo period, fashionable women living in the capital favoured naturalistic make-up for an understated yet elegant look. But during the 1810s to 1830s a brief trend for heavy make-up surfaced. Sasairo beni (‘bamboo-coloured rouge’) was undoubtedly the most eye-catching style of the time. This picture is from a series depicting contemporary beauties of Edo (Tokyo). The stylish courtesan wears a kimono with a bat motif that was made popular by the Kabuki star Ichikawa Danjūrō VII (1791–1859).
Object history
Purchased from S. M. Franck & Co., accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
E.12927-1886

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O413490/cheerful-looking-ryоgoku-bridge-woodblock-print-keisai-eisen/
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