YOSHIDA Hiroshi (1876-1950)

Ikenohata. 1937.

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Self-printed. "Jizuri" seal.

ōban yoko-e, 40.5 cm × 27.1 cm

Very good impression and colour. Printing crease in the margin, light mounting remnants au verso, otherwise very good condition.

Lake Ueno in high tide, with a reflection of the shrine on the water's surface. In the background, a five tier pagoda emerges in the hazy evening light. This print shows Yoshida's masterly use of colour, with a multitude of blocks used to produce the blue and grey hues. The trees are portrayed with at least four different shades of blue. Signed Yoshida, with red artist's seal Hiroshi. Jiizuri seal at upper left margin, followed by the date, Showa juninen saku (made in Showa 12, 1937

£1250

Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950)

Timber Bay.

Category

Japanese | 20th Century

Series

The Island Sea- second series

Publisher

Self published

Dai Oban tate-e, 27.5 cm × 40.5 cm

Superb early impression. Excellent colour and condition. Prisitine.

Timber bay, from The Inland Sea - second series. 
(Seto uchi kaishu daini)
signed Yoshida with artist's seal Hiroshi and jizuri (self printed) seal, dated on left margin Showa gonen saku (made in Showa 5 1930)

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Uehara KONEN (1878-1940)

Moonrise

Category

Japanese | 20th Century

Publisher

Kobayashi Bunshichi.

otanzaku, 37.0 cm × 16.0 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition.

A rare pre-1923 Earthquake aizuri. With red artist's seal Konen.

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Ueharu Konen. (1878-1940)

Waterfall.

Category

Japanese | 20th Century

Publisher

Kobayashi Bunshichi

o-tanzaku, 12.0 cm × 36.0 cm

Very good impression, colour and condition. The blue pigment in the waterfall is often seen with this design.

A rare pre-1923 earthquake ‘aizuri-e’ (blue print) by Ueharu Konen, published by Kobayashi Bunshichi. Kobayashi’s shop was destroyed in the fires following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and consequently impressions of this design are scarce. Sealed Konen, with publisher's seal of Kobayashi Bunshichi. Seal numbered 350 pre-1923.

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HASUI Kawase. (1883-1952)

Evening Snow at Ishinomaki. 3/1935.

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Series

Collection of scenic views of Japan.

Publisher

Watanabe Shôzaburô. C Seal (1929-1942 'sausage seal')

oban yoko-e, 38.0 cm × 26.0 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. A pin-sized drying hole top right. Full margins.

Hasui is a master at recreating mood and atmosphere in his landscape designs. The falling snow prints demanded great technical skill on the part of the carver and printer as Hasui noted "In the case of printing we must interact very closely.  A less experienced printer might waste seven or eight trial prints before a successful one is made.  If someone is experienced we can decide on the final print after two or three trials.  It occurs occasionally that despite best efforts, a successful print is still not produced.  This is the hard part of composite art.  It requires telepathic communication.  Unless all parties are completely in tune, the process will not work.  When my mind and the minds of the artisans are in complete agreement, a good work can be generated" Signed Hasui with 'kawase' seal. Sausage seal (1929-1942) right margin. Print title followed by 'showa ju-nen sangatsu saku' to the left.

Reference: Plate 309. The Complete Woodblock Prints of Kawase Hasui. Hotei Publishing. IBSN 978-9074822466.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts Impression.

£2350

HASUI Kawase. (1883-1952)

Lake Kawaguchi. c.1941

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Watanabe Shôzaburô. F Seal (1934-1941)

oban tate-e, 26.0 cm × 38.0 cm

Superb impression with strong visible woodgrain. Excellent colour. Faint remnants of 'K.Hawase' in pen, lower right, otherwise very good condition.

Mount Fuji seen from Oishi park on Lake Kawaguchi, the second largest of the "Five Fuji Lakes". The view is dominated by five maize plants (zea mays), a design that recalls Hiroshige's Iris at Horikiri from One-hundred Views of Edo. A seldom seen design. Watanabe D seal 1931-1941, signed and sealed Hasui.

£1450

HASUI Kawase. (1883-1952)

Lakeside Shower at Matsue. 1932.

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Watanabe Shôzaburô. C Seal.

oban yoko-e, 39.2 cm × 26.3 cm

Very good impression, colour and condition.

A fisherman hurries for shelter under a large deciduous tree, as rain breaks out on the shore of Lake Shinji-ko. The low grey clouds are typical on the coast of Japanese lakes. The sheets of rain are created using the baren, a bamboo pad used in the print-making process to apply colour.

Signed Hasui, seal Kawase. C Watanabe 'sausage' seal in the right margin.

£1750

SHŌTEI Takahashi. (Hiroaki). (1871-1945)

Sawatari in Joshu District. c.1924-36

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Watanabe Shôzaburô.

mitsugiri-ban, 17.4 cm × 38.3 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. Minimal toning.

A man returns home in the snow wearing a thick straw coat, followed by his two dogs. Shôtei draws six birds in flight against the expanse of grey sky, using the narrow mitsugiri-ban format to great effect. There are roughly 140 designs by Shotei in this format. 

The print title to the lower left hand side reads Joshu Sawatari, followed by the artist's L seal 'Shotei'.

£450

HASUI Kawase. (1883-1952)

Mito, the Swamp of Konuma in Snow. Mito hinuma no yuki. 1947.

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Watanabe Shôzaburô. First edition. J Seal.

oban yoko-e, 36.0 cm × 24.0 cm

Very good impression and colour. First state. Tiny drying holes in the top margin, expertly filled. A light tab residue au verso, otherwise very good condition.

Kawase Hasui is a master in the genre of shin-hanga ("new print") landscape. Hi Marsh is silenced by heavy snowfall. The branches of the pine trees are laden with snow under the overcast sky. A solitary figure in a warm straw coat has moored his boat and trudges forward in the blizzard, with a fishing rod over his shoulder. A loner himself, Hasui rarely portrays more than one figure in his prints.

Signed Hasui. 6mm seal lower left. 

Literature: Plate 496. The Complete Woodblocks of Kawase Hasui. Hotei Publishing. IBSN 978-9074822466

£1250

Tsuruta Goro 1890 - 1969

A winter scene. 1917

Category

Japanese | 20th Century

Series

Sketch Club

Publisher

Sketch Club

oban tate-e, 19.0 cm × 28.5 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. With extensive mica on the surface.

Goro worked in advertising for the Ajinomoto company in 1910 and lived in Seoul until 1920, where he worked for a Korean newspaper. This particularly atmospheric print is from a series published by the 'Sketch Club', 1917.

Signed Goro in ink. 

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Oda Kazuma (1881 - 1956)

Fireworks in Osaka. 1920.

Category

Japanese | 20th Century

Series

Views of Osaka

Publisher

Self published

Large dai oban, 33.0 cm × 48.0 cm

Excellent impression, colour and very good condition. A very light crease au verso, not visible at all from the front.

Fireworks from the series Osaka fûkei - Views of Osaka. Lithograph self-published in 1920. Signed and dated in pencil bottom right.

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Hide Kawanishi. (1894 - 1965)

Circus.

Category

Japanese | Miscellaneous

Publisher

Self printed

N/A, 17.5 cm × 26.0 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. Print comes with original folder.

The circus is common theme in Hide Kawanishi’s prints. In this print, horses gallop with horseback riders around the circus ring; the horse trainer standing centre with his whip. Kawanishi was inspired by the advertising posters of a German circus troupe visiting Japan. Printed in the early 1930’s. The print comes with the original folder. Signed Hide Kawanishi in pencil, and signed and seal in the block.

£400

URUSHIBARA Mokuchu (Yoshijiro) 1888-1953

Stonehenge in the Moonlight. c.1910-1920

Category

Japanese | Landscape

Publisher

Ken Koshino.

ōban yoko-e, 37.4 cm × 25.1 cm

Very good impression, colour and condition.

This colour woodblock print of Stonehenge in moonlight was one of a pair (the other shows Stonehenge in daylight) produced from many of the same blocks (betsuzuri). This scene has an extra block for the moon, while the daytime scene has the addition of a shepherd and his dog herding his sheep in the foreground, and a flock of birds in the sky. The combination of the Japanese technique and Urushibara’s artistic heritage give these views of Stonehenge a distinctive look. A rare print. Signed and sealed.  Published by Ken Hoshino & Co. 57-58 Chancerey Lane W.C. 

Reference. Masterpieces of the British Museum.

£1100

Hideo Takeda (1944-

Minamoto Clan at the Dan-no-Ura Battle

Category

Japanese | Warriors War And Legend

Series

Genpei

Publisher

Self published

large silkscreen, 52.8 cm × 66.4 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. Edition 77/200

From Hideo Takeda's series depicting the Genpei Wars (1180-1185) which is without doubt one of the great modern series of Japanese Prints. He exhibited at the British Museum in The Japanese Cartoon Tradition, 1993.The Genji (Minamoto) clan, led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, defeated the Taira (Heike) clan at the battle of Dan-no-Ura in 1185. The battle was the last one between the Genji and the Heike. Signed Hideo Takeda Edition 77/200

Reference. Takeda Hideo and the Japanese Cartoon Tradition at The British Museum

£1750

Hideo Takeda (1944-

Genpei No. 1 - Strong Bow of Minamoto Tametomo

Category

Japanese | Warriors War And Legend

Series

Genpei

Publisher

Self published

large silkscreen, 53.0 cm × 70.0 cm

Excellent impression, colour and condition. Edition 48/200

From Hideo Takeda's series depicting the Genpei Wars (1180-1185) which is without doubt one of the great modern series of Japanese Prints. He exhibited at the British Museum in The Japanese Cartoon Tradition, 1993 and his works are in the permanent collection. Signed Takeda. Edition 48/200.

£1750