First Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
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Description
A woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicting a woman foraging for shellfish during low tide, part of a larger pentaptych series.
This woodblock print is the first sheet of a larger pentaptych by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, a master of the Ukiyo-e tradition. The scene depicts a woman foraging for shellfish in the shallow pools left behind by a receding tide. Kuniyoshi captures the quiet activity of the coast, balancing the human figure against the stark, graphic form of a large, exposed tree root in the foreground. The composition relies on the interplay between the woman's striped kimono and the muted tones of the tidal flats. Kuniyoshi was known for his technical skill and his ability to bring narrative depth to everyday subjects. In this work, the artist employs a restrained palette, allowing the focus to remain on the posture of the figure and the calligraphic quality of the lines. The inclusion of Japanese calligraphy in the upper portion of the print provides context and poetic framing for the visual scene. The background figures, rendered in smaller scale, provide a sense of distance and activity, suggesting a wider community engaged in the same coastal harvest. As a piece from a larger series, this print demonstrates the artist's command of spatial arrangement and his attention to the textures of fabric and water. The woodblock medium is evident in the clean edges and the deliberate layering of colour. This print offers a glimpse into the daily life of the Edo period, presented with the stylistic precision characteristic of Kuniyoshi's later career. It is a study in observation, documenting the interaction between people and the natural rhythms of the shoreline.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. EU customers have a 14-day cooling-off right. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
First Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Choose poster, framed print, canvas or framed canvas
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Artist Biography
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
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