Mount Yoshino Moon (Later Printing) – After Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Artist: After Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japanese, 1839–1892)
Date: Original 1886; Reproduction likely 20th Century
Medium: Woodblock Print (Nishiki-e); Ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Oban size; approx. 14 x 9.5 inches (Print only)

This evocative work is a reproduction of “Mount Yoshino Moon” (Yoshinoyama no tsuki), one of the most celebrated designs from Yoshitoshi’s iconic series, “One Hundred Aspects of the Moon” (Tsuki Hyakushi). The scene depicts the spirit of the warrior Iga no Kotaro, who has taken the form of a winged Tengu, appearing to his wife. She is shown from behind, her exceptionally long, flowing black hair serving as a dramatic focal point that contrasts with the ethereal, translucent wings of the spirit. Set against a dark, crescent-moon sky with scattered autumn maple leaves, the composition masterfully balances the supernatural with a sense of profound human longing.

Yoshitoshi is widely regarded as the last great master of the traditional Ukiyo-e genre, and this series represents the pinnacle of his mature style. The “One Hundred Aspects of the Moon” series is renowned for its psychological depth and subtle use of color, moving away from the earlier “bloody” themes of his career toward a more poetic and contemplative aesthetic. This specific print is highly sought after by collectors for its striking use of negative space and the elegant, calligraphic lines of the woman’s hair, which was a technical challenge for woodblock carvers of the Meiji era.