Kunisada, Utagawa (Toyokuni III)

[Triptych of:] Shirai Gonpachi, Miura-ya Komurasaki and Miura-ya Wakamurasaki

[Tokyo]: 1855. Three Ukiyo e prints, each measuring 14.5" x 9.75", mounted on 24" x 18" card frames, depicting Shirai Gonpachi, Miura-ya Komurasaki and Miura-ya Wakamurasaki on an evening street; Wakamurasaki with some creasing and wear, all three prints affixed at corners by masking tape, very good overall. Kunisada, or Toyokuni III was the most prolific and popular ukiyo e artist of his day, with an estimated output of 25 thousand designs totaling 40 thousand sheets. Gonpachi and Komurasaki were a famous pair of ill-fated lovers, depicted many times in prints and on the stage. Gonpachi was an outlaw who committed many murders to fund his visits to the courtesan Komurasaki, and was eventually apprehended and killed (or committed suicide, depending on the telling). Komurasaki was so distraught at his death that she committed suicide shortly after. Item #60781

Price: $300.00