A courtesan savors tempura by moonlight on a balcony

A woman with an elaborate lacquered coiffure lifts a piece of tempura on chopsticks from a blue-and-white bowl, her other hand at her chin. She wears a wide-striped teal, cream and grey kimono with a glimpse of red beneath, and leans on a wooden balcony railing overlooking water lit by a full white moon. A cartouche at upper right names the series and subtitle, identifying her as a Kaei-era (1848-54) courtesan; a dated censor seal and publisher mark sit beside the signature. Signature and red seal at right.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892) was the last major master of ukiyo-e, working through the upheaval of the Meiji era. A pupil of Kuniyoshi, he moved from violent early war prints to the psychological intensity of his mature series — One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885–92) and New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts — in which history, legend and theatre are staged by moonlight. His draughtsmanship and unusual use of colour carried the woodblock print into the modern period. His prints are held by the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Printed as a museum-grade giclée on Hahnemühle fine art paper using 12-ink archival pigment printing. Available handframed in FSC-certified wood with optional float glass, or unframed. Ships worldwide with free delivery to 30+ countries.