Breaking off a Plum Branch

A young girl wearing a furisode kimono with a design of snow-topped sasa bamboo rides on the shoulders of a girl who appears to be her maid, determined to reach across a fence and break off a branch of a blossoming plum tree. The elegant and beautiful forms of the women provide an interesting counterpoint for the geometric patterns of the wall's tiles. Similarly, the diagonal cut of the wall across the composition adds a sense of instability to the positioning of the two figures. Unfortunately part of the upper section of the print has been cut away, but otherwise it is in fine condition with little fading. The color placement, with its careful arrangement of vivid complementary colors is particularly Harunobu in feel.