Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865).

Signed: ōju Kōchōrō Kunisada ga (應需香蝶楼國貞画)

Date: no date seal, no censor seal.

Publisher: Jōshūya Jūzō [上州屋重蔵] (Japanese, 1812 – 1876); seal jū (重)  under roof; Marks 01-065 | 191a; Seal name: Jōjū (上重)

Media: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e (団扇絵), color woodblock print, 227 x 297 mm.

A half-length portrait of a woman in a three-quarter view facing right. She holds a glass vessel with water and a goldfish in her left hand, while her right hand delicately grasps a small black folding fan with a red circle, possibly symbolizing the sun (日, hi). Her black hair is arranged in an elaborate updo, adorned with a red fabric bow and hairpins.

She wears a layered kimono of blue gradient fabric with floral motifs, a red under-kimono (襦袢, juban) with white plum blossoms (梅, ume) on the collar and a hemp leaf motif (麻の葉, asanoha) on the sleeves, and a black obi with red lining, decorated with peonies (牡丹, botan).

To the left, wisteria flowers (藤, fuji) and umbrellas (傘, kasa) hang above a ritual display stand (祭壇, saitan), which holds a miniature portable shrine (神輿, mikoshi) and a tengu Noh mask (天狗能面, tengu nōmen). The artist’s signature is in the lower right, and the publisher’s seal appears in the lower left quadrant. The title in the upper right corner reads: “Flower-Comparing Contest, Artificial Flower Making at the Festival” (Hanakura Sairei no Zōka – 花競 祭礼乃造花).