About This Print
The whole title contained in the decorative cartouche on the right in the upper half of the print reads 明治二十一季略暦 - 'Meiji 21st season abridged calendar' - and the print is a ryakureki (略暦), a single-page calendar.1
Ryakureki (literally "abbreviated calendars") were popular through the Meiji period and often had auspicious illustrations such as the mouse/rat processional2 and seven lucky gods depicted in this print.
Long and short months are shown in outside columns of table.
(For more information on the subject see the article "Time in Old Japan" http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Time_in_Old_Japan ).
1 This information courtesy of Hans Olof Johansson in response to my posting on his Ukiyoe Q&A websitehttp://www.ukiyo-e.se/The 季 character (season) is just a replacement for 年 (year).
2 1888 was the year of the rat
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #433 |
| Title or Description | Meiji 21st season abridged calendar 明治二十一季略暦 |
| Artist | Utagawa Fusatane (active 1854-1888) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal | none |
| Publication Date | 1888 |
| Publisher |  |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - full size sheet; minor soiling; printers marks in margin |
| Genre | ukiyo-e (ryakureki) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | vertical oban |
| H x W Paper | 14 3/4 x 9 3/4 in. (37.5 x 24.8 cm) |
| H x W Image | 13 3/8 x 8 3/4 in. (34 x 22.2 cm) |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print |
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