This is an authentic, original 19th-century Japanese woodblock triptych print by the prominent Meiji-period female master Kawanabe Gyōsui (河鍋暁翠). This dynamic three-panel work dates to 1891 and was officially published in Tokyo by the documented Meiji-era publisher Takekawa Unokichi (武川卯之吉). The piece is presented in a vintage mid-century faux-bamboo gold frame and carries historical American provenance, retaining an original 1971 auction inventory tag from Eldred’s Auction Gallery on the backing paper alongside framing labels from Helmar Nielsen Framers and Prints on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts.The artist, Kawanabe Gyōsui (1868–1935), was the daughter and direct artistic protégé of the legendary genius Kawanabe Kyōsai. She took over her father's prestigious art school in 1889, earning independent critical acclaim for her exceptionally fine brushwork, complex textile patterns, and graceful depictions of historical life. Today, Gyōsui's masterworks are permanently preserved in major global institutions, including the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The narrative scene depicted across these panels captures a highly private, seasonal transition within an affluent late nineteenth-century Tokyo household. While the general theme is centered around an informal home bathing ritual called gyozui, the specific composition highlights the intimate, relaxed moments immediately following the bath during the arrival of autumn. The women are shown in various states of repose on a raised wooden veranda, wearing light evening kimonos that drape casually to signify the comfort and privacy of a domestic setting. One figure holds a long, slender smoking pipe, known as a kiseru, which was a common accessory for relaxation and socializing among affluent women during the Edo and Meiji eras.The structural layout of the house plays a vital role in telling the story of this specific autumn season. A central figure is shown physically sliding open a wood-and-paper screen door, creating a literal bridge between the protected l

This domestic setting is layered with historical literary meaning. By placing the title text Wakamurasaki Nenju Gyoji no Uchi on the print, the artist intentionally frames this modern Meiji scene as a contemporary update to the classic Wakamurasaki chapter of The Tale of Genji. In the original eleventh-century literary text, this chapter marks the pivotal moment where the protagonist catches his first secret, fleeting glimpse of his future love through a rustic hedge gap in a rural landscape. By translating that classic theme of a hidden view into a late nineteenth-century home environment, the artist creates a sophisticated visual play, transforming the viewer into an observer looking into a private, seasonal world of domestic elegance and refinement.The red rectangular title block located in the upper corner of the panel reads Wakamurasaki Nenju Gyoji no Uchi, which translates to From the Annual Events of Young Murasaki. This series title pays homage to classical imagery from the famous literary masterpiece The Tale of Genji, beautifully reimagined through modern Meiji-era domestic customs. The seasonal sub-title printed inside the cartouche is Kikuzuki, the traditional poetic name for the Chrysanthemum Month, which designates the Ninth Month of the historical lunar calendar. This narrative scene captures high-status women winding down during an informal home bathing ritual, known as gyozui, inside an open veranda. The striking composition masterfully balances the cozy indoor domestic environment with a changing autumn landscape visible through sliding architectural screen doors, offering a beautiful glimpse into historical Japanese life.

This artwork features documented East Coast gallery provenance via labels attached to the backing paper. It was professionally matted and framed by Helmar Nielsen Framers and Prints, a specialty shop founded in 1963 on Newbury Street in Boston, Massachusetts, that focused on the conservation and framing of authentic Asian woodblocks. The backing paper also displays a red-bordered estate inventory tracking label from the renowned Eldreds Auction Gallery, which documents that this framed piece was cataloged and sold as Lot number 445 during their curated live Asian Arts session on August 27, 2021. The composition is clean, untouched, and free of any fading, foxing, or mold. The authentic nineteenth-century handmade mulberry paper displays horizontal alignment creases uniformly across all three panels. These creases are normal, evidence that the triptych was originally preserved inside a traditional folding accordion album before it was flattened out for gallery framing The fibers remain flexible and strong. The external brown kraft backing paper shows a vertical water stain, but this moisture did not penetrate past the internal backing barriers, meaning the front artwork remains safe and pristine. The gold faux-bamboo wooden frame and internal mat boards are structurally secure, making this piece ready for immediate display. Each wood block panel measures 9.5" in length and 13" in height.