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Courtesans of the Iedaya: Konoharu, Tamazusa, Shiratama, from the book Seirô bijin awase sugata kagami (Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Green Houses), vol. 1, picture 17, sheets 16-17


青楼美人合姿鏡 「家田屋 此春 たまづさ しら玉」
Kitao Shigemasa (Japanese, 1739–1820)
Katsukawa Shunshô (Japanese, 1726–1792)
Japanese
Edo period
1776 (An'ei 5)

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions Two ôhon pages; 26.2 x 30.5 cm (10 5/16 x 12 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.20976
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

Catalogue Raisonné Keyes, Ehon (2006), #20; Kokusho sômokuroku, rev. ed., vol. 5 (1990), p. 121; Toda, Ryerson Library cat. (1931), pp. 180-1
DescriptionThe book was jointly published by Tsutaya Jûzaburô and Yamazaki Kinbei, and jointly designed by Shigemasa and Shunshô; but it is not clear which artist was responsible for which illustrations.

MFA impressions of the intact book: 2006.1749.1-3, 2006.1814, 2006.1815 (b/w illustrations)
One complete set of 20 illustrations for Vol. 1, cut apart and mounted as two-page spreads: (1) 11.19784; (2) 11.14973; (3) 11.20973; (4) 11.20979; (5) 11.14974; (6) 11.20977; (7) 11.20983; (8) 11.20972; (9) 11.20978; (10) 11.20975; (11) 11.20974; (12) 11.20969; (13) 11.20981; (14) 11.14862; (15) 11.20984; (16) 11.20982; (17) 11.20976; (18) 11.20970; (19) 11.20980; (20) 11.20971
Also, the four floral designs, cut out and mounted as two-page spreads: RES.21.466 (dup. of 11.19784), RES.21.467 (vol. 2, picture 1), RES.21.468 (vol. 2, picture 14), RES.21.469 (dup. of 11.20969)
Signed (this picture unsigned)
無款
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.