Reizei Carrying a Teshoku (Hand Lantern) - Isoda Koryūsai

A refined woodblock print by Isoda Koryūsai depicting Reizei with a hand lantern, showcasing the elegant style of the mid-Edo period.

This woodblock print by Isoda Koryūsai depicts a scene involving the figure Reizei, accompanied by a companion. Koryūsai, a former samurai who transitioned to the life of a professional artist, is recognised for his contributions to the ukiyo-e genre during the mid-Edo period. His work often features elegant figures rendered with a distinct sense of poise and refined composition.

The print displays a balanced arrangement of two figures positioned before a lattice fence and a pine branch. Reizei holds a teshoku, a traditional hand lantern, which provides a soft illumination to the scene. The artist employs a muted colour palette, relying on subtle tones of brown, cream, and soft red to define the garments and the architectural elements. The clothing patterns, including the polka-dot hakama worn by the companion, demonstrate the attention to textile design common in prints of this era.

Koryūsai was prolific in his production of hashira-e, or pillar prints, which were designed to fit the narrow architectural spaces of Japanese homes. While this specific work captures a quiet, intimate moment between two individuals, it also reflects the technical precision of the woodblock printing process. The lines are clean and controlled, guiding the viewer through the interaction between the figures. The composition avoids excessive clutter, allowing the focus to remain on the posture and the gentle connection between the subjects. This print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the eighteenth-century urban population in Japan, where such images were collected for their beauty and their depiction of contemporary fashion and social manners.