No. 2, from the series Modern Versions of the Five Women (Tôsei gonin onna) - Keisai Eisen

A classic ukiyo-e woodblock print by Keisai Eisen, depicting a woman in traditional attire from the 'Modern Versions of the Five Women' series.

Keisai Eisen was a prolific designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints during the late Edo period. This work belongs to the series 'Tôsei gonin onna', or 'Modern Versions of the Five Women'. The print depicts a bijin, or beautiful woman, standing before a low fence. Her attire is rendered with careful attention to pattern and texture, featuring a dark kimono layered over a complex, geometric-patterned undergarment. The contrast between the dark, solid tones of her outer robe and the lighter, detailed fabrics beneath demonstrates the technical skill involved in multi-block printing.

Behind the figure, a flowering tree provides a soft, organic backdrop that balances the rigid, linear structure of the fence. A tall lantern stands to the left, adding a vertical element to the composition. Eisen is known for his bijin-ga, or pictures of beautiful women, which often captured the fashion and aesthetic sensibilities of the urban population in Edo. His work frequently utilised a slightly more elongated figure style compared to his contemporaries, contributing to a sense of grace and poise in his subjects.

The print employs a balanced colour palette, using muted greens and earthy reds in the background to allow the figure to remain the primary focus. The use of black ink for the kimono provides a strong anchor for the visual composition. This piece offers a glimpse into the cultural life of the period, reflecting the interest in contemporary fashion and the idealised representation of women in Japanese art. As a museum-grade print, this reproduction captures the subtle gradations and line work of the original woodblock process, preserving the aesthetic qualities of the Edo-period design.