Kaori-mono-awase, Gyoshu - Yanagawa Shigenobu II

A refined Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Yanagawa Shigenobu II, depicting two figures in a riverside setting with integrated calligraphic text.

This woodblock print by Yanagawa Shigenobu II belongs to the Ukiyo-e tradition, a genre that flourished in Japan during the Edo period. The composition depicts two figures in a riverside setting, likely a scene from a literary or poetic anthology, as suggested by the inclusion of calligraphic text integrated into the design. The artist, a student of the Yanagawa school, demonstrates a refined approach to line and colour, characteristic of the period's output.

The male figure, dressed in a deep blue kimono with patterned accents, stands beside a woman whose attire features a purple outer garment over a patterned under-robe. Their postures are relaxed, suggesting a moment of quiet interaction. In the background, the artist renders a simplified view of a river with small boats and distant mountains, providing a sense of spatial depth without relying on Western perspective. The treatment of the foliage and the atmospheric sky, rendered with subtle gradients, demonstrates the technical skill involved in the multi-block printing process.

Yanagawa Shigenobu II was active during the mid-19th century, a time when the production of surimono and illustrated books reached a high level of sophistication. This print reflects the aesthetic preferences of the era, where the combination of visual narrative and poetry was highly valued by collectors. The use of colour is balanced, with the deep blues and purples providing a contrast to the lighter tones of the paper and the sky. The work remains a clear example of the graphic traditions of the Yanagawa lineage, maintaining the stylistic conventions established by his predecessors while reflecting the specific tastes of the mid-Edo period. The print is preserved with its original block-printed text, which serves as an integral component of the overall design, linking the visual imagery to the literary context of the series.