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Two women free-diving for abalone. Older women were traditionally the workforce in this fishery and continue to do it to this day. A famous and beautiful image of bare-breasted women free-diving.

Utagawa Kunisada was one of the three most important designers of ukiyo-e images of the nineteenth century and was the great influence on the first wave of European Impressionist artists with his bold colours and highly stylized designs, especially evident in this image with his treatment of the sea.

The print has had a hard life. Repairs to the top right-hand sky and also to the rock, right-hand bottom. The print has been crumpled and creased and not withstanding these faults, it remains a rare and highly desirable print.

 

1859

 

350 x 240 mm. Image size.

 

Framed 

ABALONE DIVERS. Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) Japanese woodblock.

$955.00Price