Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi [歌川 國芳] (Japanese, 1798 – 1861).
Publisher: Enshuya Matabei [遠州屋又兵衛] (Japanese, fl. c. 178 – 1881) – no seal, ref: Kunisada Project.
Title: A Summer Evening [夏乃夕暮] (Natsu no Yūgure).
A young woman in purple kimono decorated with cranes and waves catching a firefly among yellow and purple flowers.
Signed: Ichiyosai Kuniyoshi ga [一勇斎 国芳 画] in a red cartouche and sealed with paulownia (kiri mon).
Date seal and double nanushi censor seals: Fuku & Muramatsu, 1853 (Kaei 6, 2nd month). No publisher’s seal.
Size: Uchiwa-e (untrimmed fan print) 228 x 296 mm.
The yellow flower is probably Patrinia scabiosifolia (ominaeshi) [女郎花]. The purple flower seems to be Platycodon grandiflorus or Balloon Flower (kikyō) [桔梗]. Besides, there are visible panicles of Miscanthus sinensis, or Japanese pampas grass (susuki) [薄]. These three are part of the Seven Grasses of Autumn (aki no nanakusa) [秋の七草].
