Toyohara Chikanobu Japanese Woodblock Print, Meiji Bijin-ga, Framed Antique

A framed antique Japanese woodblock print by Toyohara Chikanobu (1838–1912) — the prolific Meiji-period ukiyo-e master born Hashimoto Naoyoshi in Takada, Niigata Prefecture. The composition is a bijin-ga — a "picture of a beautiful woman" — depicting a refined court lady in close half-length portrait, her elaborately styled hair set against a richly patterned blue-and-white asanoha (hemp leaf) kimono, with a small inset landscape vignette and Japanese calligraphic text completing the field. The composition style is signature late-Meiji Chikanobu.

Chikanobu's life bridged the late Edo and Meiji eras: he first trained in the Kano style of painting, served briefly as a minor member of the bakufu (the governing body under the Tokugawa shoguns), and after the Meiji Restoration studied under Toyohara Kunichika, whose surname he later adopted (he is also known by the art names Yōshū Chikanobu and Ikkakusai Kunitsuru II). He specialized in historical subjects, bijin-ga, depictions of the Meiji imperial court, and women and children of the new era — and also produced newspaper illustrations as the medium evolved through the late 19th century. His work is held in museum collections including the Allen, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Honolulu Museum of Art, and museums in Seattle and Victoria.

Provenance: Acquired from "The Connoisseurs' Townhouse" — a documented private collection of Asian and Oriental art assembled by the Kleek family. A typewritten curatorial description of the home and its collection is affixed to the verso of the frame (visible in photos), placing this print among "a set of four fine Japanese woodblocks" hung on the wall of the steps leading to the dining room. Original artist biography sheet from the same source is also affixed (visible in photos), providing the full Chikanobu attribution and biography.

Dimensions:
Frame: 23" H × 18" W × 1" D
Artwork (visible image): 13.25" H × 8.75" W

See photos for condition and additional detail. Reach out directly with any specific questions, and we'll do our best to reply within 24 hours. Please check out our other listings for amazing estate items.

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