Original Utagawa Kuniyoshi Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print "Lady Matsushima" c1844

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳, 1797–1861)

Lady Matsushima from the Series “Mirror of Wise and Courageous Women”
(Kenyū fujo kagami 賢勇婦女鏡)

A fine and rare nishiki-e (錦絵, polychrome woodblock print) by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, depicting Lady Matsushima (松嶋局) from the series Mirror of Wise and Courageous Women (Kenyū fujo kagami). This series honors legendary women of intelligence, loyalty, and bravery from Japanese history and literature. Here, Lady Matsushima is portrayed seated in quiet contemplation, writing a letter with brush in hand, her expression serene yet resolute.

Kuniyoshi frames her within a blue circular cartouche, offset by sprays of red lilies and calligraphic text panels at the upper register. The print displays Kuniyoshi’s mastery of line, texture, and pattern—seen in the delicate komon (小紋) fabric detailing and the nuanced shading of the hair and face. The design merges elegance and moral strength, qualities that made Kuniyoshi’s heroines among the most admired of the Edo period.

Signature: 朝櫻樓国芳画 (Chōōrō Kuniyoshi ga)
Series Title: 賢勇婦女鏡 (Kenyū fujo kagami, “Mirror of Wise and Courageous Women”)
Subject: Lady Matsushima (松嶋局)
Publisher: 有田屋清右衛門 (Aritaya Seiemon)
Date: ca. 1844 (Tenpō 15)
Censor / Seal Marks: Censor’s seal and publisher’s mark present at lower margin
Format: Ōban tate-e (大判竪絵, vertical oban)
Condition: Rich color and good registration; some age toning and minor surface wear.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳, 1797–1861) was one of the last great masters of the ukiyo-e tradition and a central figure of the Utagawa school. Renowned for his dynamic warrior prints (musha-e), imaginative landscapes, and satirical compositions, Kuniyoshi also produced poetic and psychologically complex portraits of women. His technical virtuosity, inventive compositions, and bold use of color greatly influenced both Meiji-era artists and modern Japanese printmaking.