100 Aspects of the Moon # 71 by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Taiso) (1839-1892)

Woodblock Prints Title: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon # 71 Ishiyama moon (Ishiyama no tsuki)

1st Publication: October 1889

Size: Oban; 13-1/2" x 9-1/4" (34 x 23.5 cm)

Date of this edition: October 1889

Publisher: Akiyama Buemon.

Condition: Backed on an acid free album page, left margin trimmed affecting the seals, else very fine. Excellent colors and impression, good overall condition.

More about this print: Lady Murasaki is usually pictured in a violet robe (murasaki may be translated as "violet", or "purple", or "lavender"), sitting at her writing table in Ishiyama Temple, and looking out over Lake Biwa under a full moon. Yoshitoshi chooses a similar setting, but substitutes a mountain landscape for the lake. Murasaki Shikibu is thought to be the author of the world’s first novel Genji monogatari ("The Tale of Genji"), of which chapter 4 is the subject of plate #29.

The origin of her name, her parentage, and the dates of her birth and death are somewhat of a mystery. The novel was supposedly finished in 1004 AD. To date, her room can be admired in Ishiyama Temple near Kyoto, although its authenticity is debatable.

Pictures: Pictures are taken outdoor, in the shade, to reflect true colors, without any enhancements of any kind. The last picture is taken indoor, with a light behind the print, to reveal the exact paper grain, holes if any, or other possible flaws.