Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III). Rustic Genji: Mitsuuji Presenting Irises to a Lady / Fan print, 1849-50.

Description: Two-figure composition. On the left, a man—allegedly Mitsuuji [光氏]—wearing a purple kimono bearing white crests of triple oak leaves (mitsu-kashiwa, 三つ柏) and metal brace motifs (ichimonji kanagu, 一文字金具), presents a bundle of irises (ayame / shōbu, 菖蒲) to his female companion with his right hand, while holding her by the hem (front panel) of her kimono with his left hand. On the right, a woman in a red kimono patterned with peonies (botan, 牡丹) and Genji crests (Genji-mon, 源氏紋) with arrowhead leaves (omodaka, 沢瀉); her obi bears wave-and-bird roundels. She stands beneath a hanging lantern (tsuri-dōrō, 釣灯籠). In the background is a black lacquer kimono rack (ikō, 衣桁) with gold arabesque (karakusa, 唐草), draped with a blue cloth featuring phoenixes (hōō, 鳳凰) among clouds. On the left appears the signature Toyokuni ga [豊國画] in a red toshidama cartouche; further left are the censor seals Kunigasa [衣笠] and Watanabe [渡辺]. Below them, faintly visible, is the publisher’s seal hanmoto ue [板元上] under a double roof.

The floral and mythical motifs—irises, peonies, and phoenixes—serve as seasonal and auspicious allusions rather than direct references to a specific chapter of The Tale of Genji, situating the scene within the broader visual language of Genji-e and Rustic Genji imagery.

Note: The title is supplied; no title or inscription identifying the subject appears on the fan.