This print shows three men standing outside an open window, looking in to where a pair of women converse animatedly. One of the men is crouched with his sword held upright, clutched with a gray cloth. The man left of him stands tall with an unfurled paper fan. The final man has his back to the viewer, seated with his swords at his waist. The print is set upon archival paper.

Weight (lbs): 0.25
Height (In.): 10.25
Width (In.): 14.5
Depth (In.): N/A
Size: 14.5X10.25
Maker: Utagawa School
Material: Paper
Date: 19th C
Provenance: N/A
Condition: Slight fading of color to the bottom left, some wrinkling at the corners. Light toning.
History: Woodblock printing in Japan (moku-hanga) is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre of single sheets, but it was also used for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was widely adopted in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). Although similar to woodcut in Western printmaking in some regards, the moku-hanga technique differs in that it uses water-based inks—as opposed to western woodcut, which often uses oil-based inks. The Japanese water-based inks provide a wide range of vivid colors, glazes, and transparency.
Condition: Slight fading of color to the bottom left, some wrinkling at the corners. Light toning. History: Woodblock printing in Japan (moku-hanga) is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre of single sheets, but it was also used for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was widely adopted in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). Although similar to woodcut in Western printmaking in some regards, the moku-hanga technique differs in that it uses water-based inks—as opposed to western woodcut, which often uses oil-based inks. The Japanese water-based inks provide a wide range of vivid colors, glazes, and transparency.