Woman in Blue Kimono Playing Stringed Instrument" Kunisada Toyokuni III

Page Size: 14 x 10 in.
 
Frame Size: 21 x 16.5 in.
 
 
This exquisite ukiyo-e woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) captures a quiet, contemplative moment of artistic devotion. The composition portrays a woman dressed in a striking, vibrant blue kimono adorned with a bold floral pattern. She is seated gracefully, fully immersed in playing the shamisen, a traditional three-stringed Japanese instrument, with a manuscript of music laid out before her.
 
The artist masterfully balances the figure with a tall, minimalist paper lantern on the left, which grounds the scene and suggests an intimate, evening atmosphere. In the upper right, a cartouche containing elegant calligraphy and a delicate illustration of a flowering plum branch adds a poetic layer to the work, reflecting the bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) genre’s emphasis on harmony, refined leisure, and artistic sensibility.
 
With its clean lines, deliberate spacing, and serene subject matter, this print is a quintessential example of mid-19th-century Japanese graphic art, offering the viewer a timeless window into a world of poise and musical grace.
 
This woodblock print on paper is ready to hang in a simple frame with linen liner and silver leaf finish.