Two court ladies tie poem papers to a blossoming plum tree

Two women stand beneath the white-blossomed branches of a plum tree, set against a deep red ground. One, in a plain cream kimono, reaches up to tie a poem paper to a branch; the other, in a purple kimono patterned with red and pale blossoms and green wheel-and-lattice motifs, looks on. A vertical cartouche at upper right carries the series title, with the women's court names inscribed in panels beside them, legible as Madenokoji Sachiko and Karahashi Sadako with their court ranks. A red-and-white publisher's seal and Yoshitoshi's signature sit at right. Dated by inscription to Meiji 11 (1878).

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.