💌 Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) – Okubi-e Beauty Writing a Letter – c.1826
Series: Kaidan Yoru no Tono (怪談夜の殿) — Tales of Pussy in the Palace at Night
Date: Bunsei 9 (1826)
Author: Utei Enba II (1792–1862)
Medium: Original Edo-period color woodblock print picture, okubi-e (large head portrait)
 
Description:
A striking and elegant okubi-e portrait from Kunisada’s Bunsei-era masterpiece series Kaidan Yoru no Tono.  Depicting a refined courtesan or high-ranking beauty paused in contemplation with her brush held between her lips, this intimate design captures the quiet poetry of desire and anticipation.
 
Her lavish hairstyle is adorned with an imported Western cameo — an exceptionally rare detail in Edo art — symbolizing cosmopolitan taste and access to luxury goods available only to the elite.  The subtle karazuri embossing on the letter and delicate rendering of the hairlines demonstrate Kunisada’s technical brilliance and the surimono-grade finish of this impression.
 
Condition:
Fine impression with rich color retention and well-preserved bokashi gradation.  Overall fair condition with handling wear and wormage.  No backing.
 
Size:
Approx. 15.4 × 22 cm 
 
References:
Teihon Ukiyo-e Shunga Meihin Shusei, Vol.10, Yoshikazu Hayashi
Japanese Erotic Art: The Hidden World of Shunga, Ofer Shagan, 2013