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Courtesan Reading Letter, from the series A Collection of Modern Beauties (Tôsei bijin soroe no uchi)


「当世美人揃之内」 文読み遊女
Japanese
Edo period
1855 (Ansei 2), 12th month

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Vertical ôban; 36.3 × 25.1 cm (14 5/16 × 9 7/8 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.17372
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Signed Ichijusai Kunisada ga, in toshidama cartouches
一寿斎国貞画(年玉枠)
Marks Censor's seals: aratame, Hare 12
No blockcutter's mark
改印:改、卯十二
彫師:なし
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.