Shamisen and Box

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In this print, Yabu Chosui depicted a black-lacquer box with a furoshiki wrapping cloth and a shamisen leaning against it. The highly burnished black box has the design of a house mark on it, which is playfully hidden by the neck of the shamisen . Chosui frequented the pleasure quarters and created a number of geisha-related prints, and this mark likely represents the name of a geisha establishment.

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