Show Us Your print

[Volker62]

thank you so much Brian, yes I cherish this and some other gifts from Yasunori

 

 

it was very nice to be in contact with him for a few years 

[sabi]

I have a few - one is what usually comes to mind when you think "woodblock", the others not so much. 😸

 

First, a cover sheet from "Historical Drawings of Yosai", Aoki Suzando Publishing, mid-Meiji period 1894.

 

Though only a cover page, it spoke to me as a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to the power and glory of the warrior class, made shortly after its downfall. 

 

Next are two cat themed prints by sosaku hanga artist Tomoo Inagaki, who is known for his depictions of these wonderful creatures. 

 

"Yugure no Neko" 1972, #45/200

 

and

 

"Cat and Camellia" #16/50

 

Some sources have this dated as 1941 but to my knowledge he didn't start printing cats until the 1950's, and I think it's 60's/70's based on the style.  This was my "barn find" of the hobby from a bookseller who clearly didn't know what they had, and listed it around 1/10th of the appropriate price.

 

More can be found on the great Tomoo Inagaki here:

 

https://www.thegreatcat.org/the-cat-in-art-and-photos-2/cats-asian-art/tomoo-inagaki-1902-1980-japanese/

 

 

[Stephen]

[Toryu2020]

[Toryu2020]

[b.hennick]

Here is another one. This time a samurai in armour.

[waljamada]

I purchased a modern woodblock print by a Japanese artist named Yamaguchi Ryoshi.  Just found it a cool image and the use of metalics in the ink was something I haven't seen much of.  Here was the description when I bought it:

 

Lady Rokujo in Demonic Form by Yamaguchi Ryoshu, a 1950s modern woodblock print made after the noh drama Aoi no Ue.  In the story, Lady Aoi, Prince Genji's formal wife, is haunted by the demonic spirit of Lady Rokujo, one of Genji's many lovers, who suffers from extreme jealousy that drives her mad.  The artist has made heavy use of metallic pigments for this work.  The demon's costume shimmers with silver triangles, as do elements of the kimono she holds overhead.  In the manner of 1790s ukiyo-e (the best of Utamaro and Sharaku) the entire background of the print has been treated with metals--in this case a gold that darkens at the edges, giving the print creepy tones of shadow within its sparkling brightness, as suited to the supernatural subject. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Traditionally such a print would have been viewed (in the evenings) by oil lamp or candle light, the flickering flame adding (mysterious) life to the subject. 

 

(Apologies, no more likes in my quiver today.)

[waljamada]

Not a print....but a printers block of a Japanese woman.  Thought it was cool.  

[Stephen]

Off a print group.

Snow at Kamigamo Shrine, Kyoto. Shin hanga by Takeji Asano 1900-1999. "Kamigamo Jinja Yuki".

[Stephen]

Naosuke Gombei ripping off a face
By 
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
~1867

For some Sunday gore

[ROKUJURO]

I was told this was related to WASEDA KYUDO DOJO:
 

 

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Jean,

 

Its from the series 100 views of Edo "Meisho Edo hyakkei 名所江戸百景" by Hiroshige 1 & 2

c. 1856 - 1859

 

It depicts the Takada no Baba riding grounds which were set up in the 1600's.

 

Its part of Shinjuku nowadays and about a mile away from Waseda Uni as the arrow flies.

 

Curiously its no 115 of the series of 118!!!

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Thank you very much Malcolm,

that is very interesting! Wood prints are such a special science! 

[ROKUJURO]

I found another one which could be by the YOSHITOSHI school I was told:

 

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Jean

Apologies for the late reply to you PM

 

I was over the Hills and Far Away.

 

It is actually by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, from a little known series called "Yoshitoshi Ryakuga" (Yoshitoshi's sketches) c. 1882

 

http://www.yoshitoshi.net/series/chubansketches.html

 

The charming Yokai scene depicted is based upon the story of the Dancing pot at Ninnaji Temple.

 

[ROKUJURO]

This is wonderful information! Thank you so much Malcolm!

[Stephen]

Tsuchiya Koitsu, Benkei Bridge

[DMNK]

Don't know much about this one, but very capturing.

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Dominik,

Utagawa Hiroshige

Autumn Moon on Tama River

Original was c.1838

[k morita]

Hi,
Theme is:
One of eight views of Edo(Tokyo) suburbs.
Autumn Moon on the Tamagawa river.

[Nihonto Chicken]

Here's an older repro of some note:

 

 

BTW, is there a method to remove or reduce the foxing without altering the image?  Inquiring minds! 

[Nihonto Chicken]

Here's another repro of the same subject, newer and in better shape, currently hanging on the wall just above me:

 

 

Any ideas as to the date and source?  I bought this years ago as a nicely framed print.

[Matsunoki]

2 hours ago, Nihonto Chicken said:

Any ideas as to the date and source?  I bought this years ago as a nicely framed print.

It’s called FineWind,clear morning by Hokusai. Also commonly called Red Fuji. An original is worth a small fortune!

[Bugyotsuji]

It's a fine art, judging a woodblock print, looking at the paper and the inks and their crispness and alignments, the paper margins and the printer's stamp/seals, and the back of the paper.

 

For this you need the BG above, our very own Malcolm T....! 

[Matsunoki]

….Red Fuji….a bit more info….

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/honolulu/6009

 

Seeing this print reminded me of a friend who found a complete set of Hokusai’s 36 views of Fuji in a local auction. he thought they were good but bought them for a few thousand£.  They turned out to be an original full set, incredibly rare. He sold them years ago for over £2m…..yep, two million! 
Prints are worth knowing something about!

[Bugyotsuji]

Reminds me of an experience many years ago at an antiques stall in Fukuyama. There was a drawer stuffed full of rolled, bent and worm-eaten ukiyo-e prints. I had a quick look and saw they were 12 Utagawa Kunisada prints telling the story of the Kanadehon Chushingura. (47 Ronin) Quickly I decided to buy them, and the dealer rolled them up and stuffed them in a bag for me. 

 

Later I walked round to a temple nearby where the priest always let me park my car. He was a famous collector of Edo Bidoro glass, Chirimen-e, etc., who used to lend his collections to museums around the country. As I rang the bell and thanked him for letting me park, I showed him my purchases. He opened the bag and shouted, "Who wrapped these in newspaper!?!? Take me to the dealer at once, and I'll give him a piece of my mind! These are 初刷りShozuri first runs", I remember him saying. He threw the newspaper wrapping onto the ground in disgust.

 

Nothing like the story above, I agree, on another level, but I was happy, and spent many happy evenings repairing them with removable backing of colo(u)red washi paper to disguise the worm holes. Coming up for air occasionally I saw this old house through Edo eyes, a time slip that enveloped me completely as I walked the corridor to the habakari closet. The power of art!

 

*The artist name escapes me and I don't have them here with me at the moment. Toyokuni Kunisada?

Found this which looks the same, with the zigzag edges.

Kunisada Utagawa 1786-1865 - 47 Ronin - Kanadehon Chushingura Act.1 - artelino

[Matsunoki]

25 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Coming up for air occasionally I saw this old house through Edo eyes, a time slip that enveloped me completely as I walked the corridor to the habakari closet. The power of art!

Piers, my story was just about luck and money. Yours is about pleasure and enjoyment and the ghosts of times past. That is indeed the true power of art. Wonderful words. 

[Nihonto Chicken]

I only wish my "Red Fuji" (colloquially known) print were an original ($100k+ ?).  Just wondering when this repro was made and by whom as indicated by the seals.

 

OTOH, I understand my earlier, unique variant of "Rainstorm Beneath The Summit", to which someone decided to add the pine trees at the bottom, has some collector interest.  I remember decades ago contacting a small mom and pop shop (forget the name) dealing in on-line auctions of consigned ukiyoe.  After seeing a photo of this print, they indicated interest in placing it and told me to insure it for $2k when sending it.  Well, I sat on my thumbs, and before getting around to posting it to them they retired or otherwise went out of biz.  Some time later I contacted a bigger auction house, I think Butterfield, and they responded that they weren't interested in presenting it.  Sooooooo, any recs for turning this over?  TIA!

[SteveM]

19 hours ago, Nihonto Chicken said:

Just wondering when this repro was made and by whom as indicated by the seals.

 

Hi Rick - I don't see any printer's seals on those prints. I can only see the white rectangle containing the title of the print, and the black writing next to it which is the artist's signature. 

 

If you are looking to sell or authenticate, you might try Hara Shobo, a long-standing ukiyoe-specialist in Tokyo. https://www.harashobo.com/