Ukiyo-e print

Colour woodblock print on a card mount. Ukiyo-e print depicting a scene from a series of 36 views of Tokyo. This print portrays the season of "hanami", cherry blossom viewing, and the new growth and vitality of spring can be felt through the bright pigment used, especially the bright green colour of the grass. The energy and youth of the groups of children playing in the foreground contrasts starkly with the solitary and still image of the sacred Mt. Fuji in the background. The scene is a good example of cultural customs of the people of Edo (present day Tokyo) in the late 19th century. The text in the red box in the bottom left hand corner of the print reads from top to bottom "Shousai hitsu", Shousai being one of the go (artist name) of Shousai Ikkei, and "hitsu" meaning "written by." The text in the blue box in the top right hand corner reads from top to bottom "toukyou sanjyuuroku kei", 36 Scenes of Tokyo. The small text in the bottom right hand corner just visible between the print and the mount indicates the number 35. Shousai Ikkei produced a series of ukiyo-e titled "toukyou meisho sanjyuuroku gisen", Comic Scenes of 36 Famous Places in Tokyo (1871-1872). It is likely that this print is number 35 of this series. (1977.124.2, 1977.124.4, and 1977.124.5 could be of the same series.)