Edutainment > Fuzoku Sanjuniso

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Fuzoku sanjuniso or 'Thirty-two Aspects of Customs and Manners' was one of the last series created by Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) and among his best and most popular ones.

Production and Publication

When Yoshitoshi created the series fuzoku sanjuniso his artistic creativity and his recognition as an artist had reached their peak. Yoshitoshi had experienced hard times of financial constraints and physical sufferings before he entered his forties.

The publisher of the series was Tsunashima Kamekichi, the engraver Wada Yu - with the exception of two prints. Each print has a long vertical cartouche in the right upper corner with the title of the series fuzoku sanjuniso and to the right a square box with the title of the design. And each design contains the signature and seal of Yoshitoshi together with a square box with the publishing details and below another very small box with the engraver's name. All prints and all editions from the original block bear the same date Meiji 21, meaning 1888 in Western calendar.

Editions

The series was printed in several editions that can be identified not only by making guesses about the quality of the impression (later copies from the same block get poorer and poorer as the wooden blocks get worn off). The first edition was printed with three diagonal colors in the cartouche. The second edition has only two colors in the cartouche. And the third edition has no identifiable cartouche colors at all. It is a plain brown-gray.

John Stevenson mentions another edition towards the end of the Meiji period (1912) from recut blocks. It can be well identified by the lack of the box with the publishing details.

1 - Tiresome: the appearance of a virgin of the Kansei era (1789-1801)

Tiresome

Japanese title: urusaso kansei nenkan shojo no fuzoku
Printed: February 25, 1888
Engraver: Wada hori Yu

2 - Relaxed: the appearance of a Kyoto geisha during the Kansei era (1789-1801)

Relaxed

Japanese title: shidaranasaso kansei nenkan kyoto geiko fuzoku
Printed: February 25, 1888
Engraver: Wada hori Yu

Continue with prints 3 to 12 of fuzoku sanjuniso.

Literature source used for this overview on Fuzoku sanjuniso

• John Stevenson, "Yoshitoshi's Women, The Woodblock print Series Fuzoku Sanjuniso, ISBN: 0295974311

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