At the end of the 19th century the first Japanese woodblock prints came to Europe as cheap packaging material for imports. The artistic avant-garde was inspired, just think of the brightly colored works of Edgar Degas or Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which are characterized by radical room layout and immediacy. But the influence was mutual: even the famous ukiyo-e artist Torii Kiyonaga had his Japanese beauties perform in front of a landscape that shows a horizon and also perspective in a typically Western manner. The ukiyo-e movement wanted to celebrate the fleeting life and pleasures of the day in the sense of a "carpe diem!
Torii Kiyonaga was one of the great masters of his craft. He studied with his stepfather Torii Kiyomitsu and created expressive images of actors of the Kabuki theatre with their mask-like distorted, heavily made-up faces. But unlike his teacher, he mainly showed the everyday pleasures of the upper middle-class society of Tokyo, then Edo, and other up-and-coming Japanese cities. He was born in Edo in 1752 as the son of a bookseller. Kiyonaga did not belong to the better society he wanted to portray, but he was far more talented than the natural son of his teacher, so that he was to follow in his teacher's footsteps. In his woodblock prints he presents us the daily tasks of the fine and fine-tuned society. Thus we become witnesses of a bathhouse scene in which clothed, but also naked women seem to be unobserved. A mother dries her baby - a scene of hitherto unknown realism. Are we perhaps the voyeur who seems to be looking through a hidden hatch? So are the women portrayed courtesans putting themselves on display? Well, the man could also be a sansuke who was a common masseur in Japanese bath houses. However, Kiyonaga also has more chaste scenes, for example of women in kimonos who are surprised by a shower and seek shelter under a temple roof or take a boat trip on a lake. Torii Kiyonaga also created a picture cycle over the twelve months, which shows us a lot about the Japanese society of the time and its refined customs. But playing children can be found all over the world, and these here from Japan are given in the most dynamic and vivid way. However, the children here seem to be barefoot in a snowball fight, which does not quite fit in with his reputation as a particularly realistic artist.
Torii Kiyonaga took over the Torii School from his teacher and passed on his knowledge and innovations to a younger generation of artists. To this day he is still considered the great master of bijin-ga, the depiction of beautiful styled women in exquisite settings - that's what you would say today. The master died in Edo in 1815, but his work still indirectly influenced the Japan-loving circles of the European art avant-garde almost a hundred years later.
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_from_the_series_Eight_Fashi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281735).jpg "A Fan Suggesting a Dispersed Storm, from the series \"Eight Fashionable Scenes of the Parlor\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Woman with Black Hood in Windblown Leaves, from the series")
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.jpg "Murasaki Shikibu by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Young Man Playing Flute as Three Girls Watch by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Iris Garden by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Kiyonaga Bathhouse Women by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "A Noble Young Lady, from the series")
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.jpg "The Actors Ichikawa Danjuro V as Hige no Ikyu, Nakamura Riko as Agemaki, and Ichikawa Ebizo as Agemaki")
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_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298654).jpg "The Sixth Month, from the series")
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.jpg "Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, 1783 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Entertainers of the Tachibana, from the series \"A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Courtesan Wakakusa of the Chojiya with Her Attendants Asano and Midori, from the series")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1303374).jpg "The Fourth Month, from the series \"Twelve Months in the South\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Two Women and a Maid, from the series")
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_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1270346).jpg "The Tenth Month (Jugatsu) from the series")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1270346).jpg)
.jpg "Young Boy Wearing Hakama for the First Time, from the series")
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.jpg "Entertainers of the Tachibana, from the series \"A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Brothel Client with Courtesan by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Munesada, Segawa Kikunojo III as the courtesan Sumizome, and Nakamura Nakazo I as Sekibei, in the play \"Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To,\" performed at the Kiri Theater in the eleventh month, 1784 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Watching the Water Festival from Azuma Bridge, from the series \"Eight Precincts of the Kinryuzan Temple in Asakusa\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Matsumoto Koshiro IV as Ukita Sakingo and Sawamura Sojuro III as the Ghost of the Courtesan Takao, in the play")
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.jpg "Mother-in-Law Teasing the Bride, from the series A Collection of Humorous Poems, c.1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_illustrated_book_-_(MeisterDrucke-1284243).jpg "The First Calligraphy of the New Year (Kissho hajime), from the illustrated book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn (Saishiki mitsu no asa)\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The View from Komagata Hall, from the Series")
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.jpg "Yumoto, from the series \"Seven Famous Hot Springs of Hakone\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275151).jpg "The First Day of Business (Akinai hajime), from the Illustrated Book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn (Saishiki mitsu no asa)\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275151).jpg)
_from_the_series_Go_Taiheiki_Shiraishi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296084).jpg "Scene at the Daifukuya, from the series")
_from_the_series_Go_Taiheiki_Shiraishi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296084).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275787).jpg "Kamioki, from the series \"A Brocade of Eastern Manners\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Courtesan Going to Bed, from the series \"Ten Types of Beauties in Pictures\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_as_Hatchotsubute_no_Kiheiji_Ot_-_(MeisterDrucke-1290525).jpg "The Actors Nakayama Kojuro VI (Nakamura Nakazo I) as Hatchotsubute no Kiheiji, Otani Hiroji III as Miura Arajiro, Ichikawa Yaozo III as Akugenta Yoshihira, Sawamura Sojuro III as Taira no Shigemori, in the shosa")
_as_Hatchotsubute_no_Kiheiji_Ot_-_(MeisterDrucke-1290525).jpg)
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301288).jpg "The First Bath of the New Year, from the illustrated book")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301288).jpg)
_from_the_series_Twelve_Stages_of_Matrimony_(Konrei_juni_shi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275585).jpg "First Meeting (Miai), from the series \"Twelve Stages of Matrimony\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Atago Hill at Shiba by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_series_Floating_World_Versions_of_the_Seven_Komachi_(U_-_(MeisterDrucke-1293657).jpg "Visiting (Kayoi) from the series Floating World Versions of the Seven Komachi (Ukiyo Nana Komachi) by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Floating_World_Versions_of_the_Seven_Komachi_(U_-_(MeisterDrucke-1293657).jpg)
_from_the_series_Ten_Kinds_of_Incense_in_the_Pleasur_-_(MeisterDrucke-1282003).jpg "Hairdressing Room (Kamibeya), from the Series")
_from_the_series_Ten_Kinds_of_Incense_in_the_Pleasur_-_(MeisterDrucke-1282003).jpg)
_from_the_series_Beauties_Illustrating_the_Four_Social_Classes_(_-_(MeisterDrucke-1292401).jpg "The Artisan from the series")
_from_the_series_Beauties_Illustrating_the_Four_Social_Classes_(_-_(MeisterDrucke-1292401).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1290795).jpg "The Eighth Month, from the series")
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_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Months_(Furyu_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281333).jpg "The Sixth Month (Minatsuki), from the series \"Fashionable Twelve Months\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Months_(Furyu_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281333).jpg)
.jpg "Carrying a Lantern Decorated with a Pavilion, Gohei, Flowers, and Fan, from the series")
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.jpg "A Day in Winter, Two Ladies and a Child in a Garden by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1284442).jpg "Takata (from the series \"Ten Summer Scenes in Edo\") by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Chrysanthemum Festival, from the series \"Precious Children")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281749).jpg "The Ninth Month, from the series \"Twelve Months in the South\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Visiting Komachi by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Nakamura Nakazo I and Azuma Tozo, from an Untitled Series of Prints Showing Actors in Private Life by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Min_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298608).jpg "The Eleventh Month, from the series")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Min_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298608).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298771).jpg "The Fourth Month, from the Series")
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.jpg "The Tanabata Festival, from the series \"Precious Children")
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.jpg "Portrait of the Courtesan Nioteru of the Ogiya, with Her Two Attendants Namiji and Ao by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Yamashita Mangiku, Iwai Hanshiro IV, and Iwai Kumesaburo from a Pentaptych of Eleven Actors Celebrating the Festival of the Shrine of the Soga Brothers by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Three Women after a Bath, from the series \"A Brocade of Eastern Manners\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Nakamise Shopping Street, from the series")
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_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_-_(MeisterDrucke-1286086).jpg "The Twelfth Month, from the series")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_-_(MeisterDrucke-1286086).jpg)
_from_the_series_Eight_Scene_-_(MeisterDrucke-1282262).jpg "A Fan Suggesting a Dispersed Storm from the series Eight Scenes of the Parlor by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Carrying a lantern sponsored by the Kojimachi, from the series \"The Festival of the Sanno Shrine\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Nakamura Riko I as Tanbaya Otsuma and Ichikawa Yaozo III as Furuteya Hachirobei, in the joruri")
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_(colour_woodblock_print)_-_(MeisterDrucke-1033851).jpg "Sekidera Temple by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Two Girls Talking Near the Hibachi Fire-Pot, ca. 1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Mother-in-Law Teasing the Bride, from the series A Collection of Humorous Poems by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_the_Trip_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298698).jpg "Opening the Storehouse, from the illustrated book")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_the_Trip_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298698).jpg)
.jpg "Mosquito Net (from the series A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters) by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301914).jpg "Ushi-no-gozen, from the series Famous Places of Edo by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Oiso no Tora, Azuma Tozo III as Miura Katagai, and Otani Tokuji I as Danzaburo, in the joruri")
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_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1291079).jpg "The First Day of Business, from the illustrated book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Sudden Shower at Mimeguri Shrine by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_series_Floating_World_Versions_of_the_Seven_Komachi_(Ukiyo_-_(MeisterDrucke-1272294).jpg "Parrot (Omu), from the series")
_from_the_series_Floating_World_Versions_of_the_Seven_Komachi_(Ukiyo_-_(MeisterDrucke-1272294).jpg)
.jpg "The Brine Maidens of Suma Shiokumi, Suma, 1783 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-54040).jpg "Returning Boats at the Beginning of Autumn by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_series_Eight_Fa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296787).jpg "Evening Snow at Kinryuzan Temple, from the series Eight Fashionable Views of Edo by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Eight_Fa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296787).jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Bando Hikosaburo III as Kichisaburo in the Play \"Junshoku Edo Murasaki,\" Performed at the Ichimura Theater in the First Month, 1779 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actors Segawa Kikunojo III as Koito, Sawamura Sojuro III as the Monk Sainenbo, and Ichikawa Monnosuke II as the Monk Renseibo, in the Shosa")
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.jpg "The New Year")
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.jpg "The Eighth Month (from the series Fashionable Presentations of the Twelve Months) by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Courtesan Takigawa of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Onami and Menami, from the series")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1289762).jpg "Snowy Morning in the Pleasure Quarters by Torii Kiyonaga")
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 1783 (colour woodblock p - (MeisterDrucke-94738).jpg "Young woman wearing a wide straw hat, followed by a servant and a companion carrying a")
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.jpg "The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Miyukinosuke, Segawa Kikunojo III as Hatsune-hime, and Ichikawa Danjuro V as Ninnaji no Saibei, in the Joruri")
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.jpg "Ichikawa Danjuro II in the Role of Soga Goro from the Play Yanone by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Dancers of Tachibana Street, 1742-1815 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Scene from the AKbuki Play Yukimotsutake Furisode Genji, 1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Going to a Picnic, from the series")
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_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285069).jpg "The Sixth Month (Kazemachizuki), from the Series")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285069).jpg)
_1782_-_(MeisterDrucke-266097).jpg "A Woman With a Hat Walking Under a Tree, 1782 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Sixth Precept (series title) by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Eleven Actors Celebrating the Festival of the Shrine of the Soga Brothers by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Geisha Carrying a Parasol Under a Willow Tree by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actor Ichikawa Yaozo III with a geisha, from an untitled series of prints showing Actors in private life by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Third Month: Cherry Blossom Time at Gotenyama by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Courtesans Nioteru, Namiji, and Omi of the Ogiya by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Entertainers of the Tachibana, from the Series A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actor Nakamura Riko I with an Attendant, ca. 1784 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_as_Chidori_Sawamura_Sojuro_III_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301572).jpg "The Actors Nakayama Kojuro VI as Chidori, Sawamura Sojuro III as Shigemori, and Ichikawa Yaozo III as Yoshibei, in the Shosa \"Fukyoku Edo Geisha,\" Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Nakamura Tomijuro I as a Female Fox in the Scene from the Play, Chigo Torii Tobiiri Gitsune by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "Feast in the Komeikan Teahouse by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Dance of the Beach Maidens from the series Brocade of the East, ca. 1770 by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_from_the_series_Beauties_Illustrating_the_Four_Social_Classes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1302318).jpg "The Merchant (Sho) from the series Beauties Illustrating the Four Social Classes by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Soga no Goro and Segawa Kikunojo III as Tsukisayo, in the play")
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_from_the_series_Eight_Fashion_-_(MeisterDrucke-1299519).jpg "Descending Geese at Mimeguri, from the series \"Eight Fashionable Views of Edo\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
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.jpg "The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II and his wife, from an untitled series of prints showing Actors in private life by Torii Kiyonaga")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1555225).jpg "Eleventh Month by Torii Kiyonaga")
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