JAPANESE

Beautiful proof with very fresh colors.Sosaku hangaNishiki-eCa.1970-1980..

LES PINS

Beautiful proof with very fresh colors.Sosaku hangaNishiki-eCa.1970-1980..

YUSOKUGANGU DARUMA KOKESHI

Nice proof in very fresh colors with highlights in gold and silver.Published by Geisodo in the 11th year of the Showa era, 1936.Small halo in the left outer border.Yusokugangu embody the essence of traditional Japanese toys, reflecting the opulent ceremonies and customs deeply rooted within the imperial court and aristocracy.Among the toys often represented we come across "cat ornaments", symbolizing good luck and guardians of homes and businesses; The "pully pigeon" where a wooden pigeon moves along a string or rod; The "denden daiko", a popular hand drum often used in festive celebrations; The “koma,” or spinning tops, demonstrating both the art of design and physics in motion; The samurai's iconic "Kabuto helmets", representing their honor, valor and nobility, often displayed during the Boys' Day festival; The “daruma kokeshi dolls” embodying perseverance and luck, inspired by the founder of Zen Buddhism or the “flower arrangement” which pays homage to the traditional art of Ikebana, emphasizing harmony, balance and simplicity...

GRENADE ET PRUNES

Beautiful proof with very fresh colors.Sosaku hangaNishiki-eCa.1970..

IMAGERIE POPULAIRE CHINOISE DU NOUVEL AN : ENFANT ET POISSON

Good proof, several median folds While the carp symbolizes courage, perseverance, and success in exams; the red fish "jinyu"means gold and wealth.Ca.1950-1970The Chinese New Year print nianhua 年畫 finds its origins in the propitiatory images of Chinese antiquity. It adorned family altars and door leaves with its bright colors until the middle of the 20th century. This practice spread under the Tang Dynasty (618-906) and, with the arrival of Buddhism, broadened its themes to new deities and new pantheons. Then with the new printing techniques developed by the Song (960-1279), the nianhua prints won the family altars of most homes in China. The motifs further diversified under the Qing (1644-1911), incorporating scenes from novels and opera, portraits of women and children, and even satirical content. The print helps attract happiness, drive away evil spirits and protect the year to come. Through its illustrated themes, these prints reflect the customs, state of mind and aesthetic taste of the population. The production of prints continued to suffer from wars and social unrest during the 20th century, and only two or three workshops still existed in the 1940s. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, local artisans created Suzhou Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Print Society, thus protecting their know-how and perpetuating the tradition as best they can...

YUSOKUGANGU

Nice proof in very fresh colors with highlights in gold and silver.Published by Geisodo in the 11th year of the Showa era, 1936.Small halos in the outer border and lower left corner.Yusokugangu embody the essence of traditional Japanese toys, reflecting the opulent ceremonies and customs deeply rooted within the imperial court and aristocracy.Among the toys often represented we come across "cat ornaments", symbolizing good luck and guardians of homes and businesses; The "pully pigeon" where a wooden pigeon moves along a string or rod; The "denden daiko", a popular hand drum often used in festive celebrations; The “koma,” or spinning tops, demonstrating both the art of design and physics in motion; The samurai's iconic "Kabuto helmets", representing their honor, valor and nobility, often displayed during the Boys' Day festival; The “daruma kokeshi dolls” embodying perseverance and luck, inspired by the founder of Zen Buddhism or the “flower arrangement” which pays homage to the traditional art of Ikebana, emphasizing harmony, balance and simplicity...

DEUX CHATAIGNES

Beautiful proof with very fresh colors.Sosaku hangaNishiki-eCa.1970-1980..

DEBAT DU SEIKANRON DE 1873

Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors formerly mounted on tabsObanNishiki-e1877This 1877 print depicts the 1873 Seikanron debates in the Court Council of the Meiji government on whether to invade Korea for ignoring the diplomatic missions of the Meiji government and "insulting" the Japanese nation.The leaders of the opposing factions, Iwakura and Saigō, are at the center of the triptych, surrounded by their followers.Seventeen red rectangular cartouches give the names of the characters taking part in the debate, all members of the Council of the Court (or Council of State).Among them :-Shinohara Kunimoto (left side, seated foreground) a longtime friend of Saigō Takamori and former major general and commander of the Imperial Guards who resigned after Saigō left the Imperial government.-Saigō Takamori (middle part, middle three-quarter face and bearded) hero of the battles that ended the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868, inaugurating the Meiji government that made Japan a modern nation. Court advisor and leader of the Seikanron faction pleading to send one last diplomatic mission, led by himself, to Korea before launching an invasion. Saigō knew the mission would fail, with its failure serving as the final justification for the Japanese invasion.-Kirino Toshiaki (middle part, back and right of Takamori) brigadier general during the early years of the Imperial Japanese Army, he joined Takamori Saigō's forces during the Satsuma Rebellion, participating in the march north to Kumamoto . Kirino stayed with Saigō until the end, where he was finally killed on the battlefield.-Iwakura Tomomi 岩倉具視 - (middle part, standing upper right) Right-wing minister who led the "Iwakura Mission", a two-year trip to visit European countries and the United States, renegotiate "unequal treaties" and gather information for the modernization of Japan. Major player in defeating Saigō's plan and preventing the invasion of Korea.-Okubo Toshimichi 大久保利通 - (right part, bearded, seated in the foreground) member of the "Iwakura mission" who sided with Iwakura against Saigō. As Minister of the Interior he suppressed the regional rebellions of the old class of samurai which ended with the rebellion of Satsuma. He was assassinated by a former samurai in 1878.-Sanjo Sanetomi (right part, seated in the foreground) imperial envoy. He sided with Iwakura in the debate against Saigō. He assumed the position of dajo daijin (Grand Minister of State) in 1871.The Seikanron Debate literally: “Conquest of Korea Debate” was an important political debate that took place in Japan in 1873.Takamori Saigō and his followers insisted that Japan confront Korea because of the latter's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Emperor Meiji as head of state of the Empire of Japan and for having insulted and expelled the Japanese representatives sent to establish commercial and diplomatic relations. The option of war against Korea was also an ideal opportunity to occupy the thousands of idle samurai who had lost m..

KAGOSHIMA BENTO HIKIAGE NO ZU, SAIGO TAKAMORI, KIRINO TOSHIAKI

Beautiful triptych with fresh colors, representing the defeat of the famous Saigo Takamori, considered as the last samurai, during the rebellion of Kagoshima (Satsuma)"Born into a family of humble Satsuma officers, Saigō Takamori nonetheless enjoyed rapid promotion and was given special assignments by his daimyō to work for the entry of daimyōs into the shōgunal government. While in Kyoto, in 1858, during the repression organized by the bakufu in the imperial capital, he fled to his stronghold, then, involved in the dynastic quarrels of the seigneurial family, he lived in disgrace, most of the time, until 1864. He He then made himself the man of negotiations and narrowly succeeded in averting the first civil war between the bakufu and Chōshū, he commanded a detachment of the Imperial Guard and, against his will, was brought in to repel the companies of Chōshū who were attacking Kyoto. It was later that he was gradually convinced of the need to overthrow the shōgunate. He met Kido Takayoshi in 1866 and gradually realized the rapprochement between Satsuma and Chōshū, until the bakufu's second campaign against Chōshū, in 1867.One of the architects of the coup d'etat of January 3, 1868 by which the imperial court proclaimed the "return to the old monarchy", he commanded the army which conquered the main domains of the shōgun, between Kyoto and the Kantō, and secured Edo's unconditional surrender. However, convinced that it was necessary to mobilize the traditional forces, he shunned for a while the new regime which was moving towards modernization. He nevertheless agreed to enter the Executive Council in 1870, and offered the assistance of his army to make the abolition of the fiefs effective. When Kido Takayoshi and Ōkubo Toshimichi left Japan with Iwakura Tomomi's embassy, he remained in the Tokyo government. In order to bring together the bushi dissatisfied with the reorganization of the army, he planned to force Korea to open up, aware that his approach would probably end in war. Prevented by Ōkubo, returning from Europe, in 1873, he resigned from the government and returned to his old stronghold. There, he opened a school for young people and formed an army: Satsuma then became a de facto autonomous enclave. Ōkubo, impatient with this dissent, provoked war and had Satsuma occupied by the modern army, in 1877. Knowing the inevitable defeat, Saigō Takamori committed suicide. A character full of paradoxes, he was both one of the main founders of the Meiji regime and the greatest rebel that the renovated monarchy has known: he remains one of the most popular figures in Japan.in: Universalis Encyclopedia..

BATAILLE DE SEONGHWAN

Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors formerly mounted on tabsObanNishiki-e1894The Battle of Seonghwan (Seikan) was the first major land confrontation of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on July 29, 1894 in Seonghwan, near Cheonan, in the Korean province of South Chungcheong. It is sometimes called Battle of Asan...

VICTOIRE A ASAN

Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors formerly mounted on tabsObanNishiki-e1894 "At 3 am on July 29 a battle commenced and after five hours our troops were completely victorious" begins the text panel account of this print. Chikanobu depicts two officers leading the assault with the nation's flag held high. A Chinese canon in the foreground is turned around with its barrel down and its carriage broken. The Chinese soldiers in this print are dressed in cumbersome archaic uniforms, making them seem helpless against the Japanese troops smartly dressed in modern European style uniforms.The Battle of Seonghwan (Seikan) was the first major land confrontation of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on July 29, 1894 in Seonghwan, near Cheonan, in the Korean province of South Chungcheong. It is sometimes called Battle of Asan...

ACTEUR DU KABUKI

Play : Oshu Adachi-Ga-Hara1865Nishiki-eObanProof in very fresh colors..

MINAMOTO NO TAMETOMO

The great archer Chinzei Hachiro Minamoto Tametomo with two islanders from the island of Oniga-ShimaFrom the sequel: Yoshitoshi Musha buruiThe brave warriorsEdited by Maruya Tetsujirô1886Beautiful proof in very fresh colours, some scattered foxing mainly visible in the top margins, pinched fold in the upper border.Legend has it that Minamoto Tametomo (1139-1170) from a young age was an extremely skilled archer. Nearly seven feet tall and with a left arm four inches longer than his right, Tametomo used a seven and a half foot bow. Tametomo had a very wild and unpredictable character. At just fifteen years old, and without the emperor's permission, he conquered and took control of the island of Kyushu.Following the Hogen War (1156) in which he took part, Tametomo was sent into exile by the emperor on the island of Oshima (Izu province) where he gradually established himself as a local ruler.The print illustrates the moment when Tametomo discovered a nearby island, Oni-ga-shima, by following the flight of herons in a boat. The strange inhabitants were believed to be descendants of demons, but Tametomo subjugated them by impressing them with his strength.In 1170, the emperor sent the governor of Izu and his men to apprehend Tametomo. The hero sank the lead ship with a single arrow shot, but then decided to offer his bow to the Dragon King of the Sea and set his house on fire. By cutting his abdomen with his dagger, he would have initiated the tradition of honorable seppuku (ritual suicide)...

LA LUNE DE LA MONTAGNE DE KINTOKI

Kintoki-yama no tsukiThe boy with legendary strength, Kintoki, acting as referee in the sumo match between a monkey and a rabbit.N° 87 from the set: Tsuki No hyakushi (One Hundred Aspects of the Moon)1890ObanNishiki-eGood proof, tiny dirt on the outer borders, embossing in the white of one of the cartridges and in the rabbit's fur.Kintoki's father, a dissolute ronin, abandoned him at his birth on Mount Ashigara, not far from Fuji. He was taken in and raised by Yamauba, the woman-spirit who inhabited the mountains and embodied, in certain respects, the feminine side of primal savagery. She named him Kintarõ, the “Golden Boy”. He grew up among the mountain animals and the tengu, the birdmen who taught Yoshitsune martial arts. The child learned a lot from their contact, and quickly developed prodigious strength.One day when the warrior Yorimitsu, also called Raiko, was hunting in the vicinity of Mount Ashigara, an extraordinarily robust child, with skin the color of brick, suddenly appeared to him. He was uprooting a large tree to make a bridge that would allow the animals, his friends, to cross the river. Stunned, Yorimitsu convinced Yamauba to let him take the child to make him a hero.Renamed Kintoki, the young man became one of Raiko's four main lieutenants, proving his strength and bravery on many occasions. Yoshitoshi shows him battling monsters and demons in a multitude of prints. Perhaps the most famous example is the 1886 diptych from the Yoshitoshi manga series, where a superbly drawn spider-woman weaves her golden web around the sleeping Kintoki. The two characters in Kintoki's name mean "gold" and "time", but as with many Japanese names, the idea of a literal translation is somewhat futile. This change of name should above all be interpreted as marking the transition from boy to man.In ukiyo-e, Kintarõ is usually depicted in the company of mountain animals. We also see him as a wrestler, throwing a bear to the ground. Here he referees a parody of hand-to-hand combat between a monkey and a rabbit, two animals that we saw playing together in Sun Wukong's evocation. The color of his skin refers to his name - Kuniyoshi already liked to use shades of red to flatter the roundness of his body. Dressed as a boy, he displays the rolls of flesh which, in the minds of the Japanese and Chinese, denote a healthy child.His face beaming with happiness, Kintarõ watches his friends play. A branch of persimmon tree is placed between him and the animals: its persimmons perhaps allude to the fruits that the monkey stole from the immortals, or to the extraordinary powers of Kintaro. The fruit pigment has oxidized, taking on an interesting surface texture.The grain of the wood gives body to the rock, and the rabbit's coat is beautifully embossed.In : CENT ASPECTS DE LA LUNE, John STEVENSON, 2018, Editions Citadelles et MAZENODThe set “One Hundred Aspects of the Moon”, inspired by historical or legendary stories from China and Japan, is Yoshitoshi's most famo..

LA LUNE A ITSUKUSHIMA

A courtesan from Muro is on a boat to the Itsukushima shrine n°21From the set: Tsuki No hyakushi (One Hundred Aspects of the Moon)1886Publisher: Akiyama Buemon (Kokkeido)Seals: Taiso, Enkatsu toObanNishiki-eGood proof, beautiful colors, short consolidated tear in the lower margin, embossing in the white of one of the cartridges."Itsukushima, today called Miyajima, is a small island in the Japanese inland sea, located southwest of Hiroshima. It is one of the sankei, the three most beautiful places in the country according to tradition, and one can admire in particular shrines dedicated to Susano-o, the fierce Shinto god of the moon and the sea - in Japan as in the West, the moon is symbolically associated with water, The main shrine is preceded by a bathed torii (sacred gate) by the waters at high tide.Every year, on the seventeenth day of the sixth month (the day after the full moon), Itsukushima celebrated. A procession of boats carried music from the god of the island to a sanctuary set up on the opposite shore. After a ceremony held at sunset, the god returned to his island by moonlight. The local population flocked to this spectacle. Here, a courtesan sails towards the island on a full moon night. His boat approaches the colossal torii of the main sanctuary. She comes from Muro, a port on Itsukushima Bay whose courtesans, the Murogimi, were of proverbial beauty and elegance. The beauty's hairstyle and dress are in Heian fashion; she placed her enormous traveling hat bordered by a large veil near her. The drum that we see at her feet indicates that she is coming to join the dancers at the annual festival. This detail refers to the iconography, specific to ukiyo-e, of the asazumabune: a courtesan dressed as a court dancer who waits for the client, standing on the bow of a boat, a drum in her hand.A poem compiled by Emperor Go-Shirakawa (1127-1192) - who learned singing from an accomplished courtesan - opens with these words: "The things a courtesan loves: songs, drum, boat, porter large umbrella..." Singing was one of the specialties of every courtesan, and drumming its main accompaniment. The boat was her perfect place to welcome clients, since she often officiated in a port city.When the rivalry of the Taira and Minamoto clans degenerated into widespread fistfights in the second half of the 11th century, the man of war took precedence over the man of the court. The attachment of Heian aristocrats to Buddhist temples gave way tomartial clans' penchant for Shinto shrines. The courtesan seen here could be Tomogimi, who was the mistress of a man from the Taira clan, and the dance she is about to perform, a form of offering to the gods invoking the victory of the Taira over the Minamoto .The print demonstrates Yoshitoshi's progress.The work combines several styles specific to painting and printmaking. The central figure is drawn in the linear and refined taste of ukiyo-e, the detail of the waves is detailed and meticulous, and the background..

SHIKI NO HANA

Engraving on wood (nishiki-e) From a suite SHIKI NO HANA (flowers of the four seasons) print Kachô-e (fauna and flora)Usual median pleat, beautiful, very fresh colors.Slight browning in the upper margin...

SHIKI NO HANA

Engraving on wood (nishiki-e) From a suite SHIKI NO HANA (flowers of the four seasons) print Kachô-e (fauna and flora)Usual median fold, beautiful, very fresh colors, slight browning on one of the outer edges...

SHIKI NO HANA

Engraving on wood (nishiki-e) From a suite SHIKI NO HANA (flowers of the four seasons) print Kachô-e (fauna and flora)Usual median fold, beautiful, very fresh colors, slight browning on one of the outer edges...

SHIKI NO HANA

Engraving on wood (nishiki-e) From a suite SHIKI NO HANA (flowers of the four seasons) print Kachô-e (fauna and flora)Usual median fold, beautiful, very fresh colors, slight browning on one of the outer edges...

LES COULEURS DE L AUTOMNE AU TEMPLE KOZANJI

From the set: The four seasons of KyotoShin-HangaNishiki-eVery beautiful and fresh proof bearing the artist's red stamp and signed in pencilCa.1950..

LE PONT KINTAI

KintaikyoCa.1965Shin HangaNishiki-eVery beautiful and fresh proof..

POULE ET SES POUSSINS

Sosaku-HangaNishiki-eVery beautiful and fresh proof bearing the artist's stamp,numbered and signed in pencil..

LE TEMPLE KISHU HIMAEMIYA A NICHIZEN

From the set : Famous, sacred and historical placesca.1950Shin-HangaNishiki-e..

FESTIVAL DE GION LE 17 JUILLET

From the set: The four seasons of KyotoShin-HangaNishiki-eVery beautiful and fresh proof bearing the artist's red stamp and signed in pencilCa.1950The Gion Matsuri in Kyoto is one of the three largest local festivals in Japan. The other two are Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo and Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka. The Gion Matsuri can be considered the largest and most spectacular. It is held every year from July 1 to 31 for the celebration of the summer solstice at Yasaka Jinja Shrine. The two key dates of this celebration take place on July 17 (Saki Matsuri or pre-festival) and July 24 (Ato Matsuri or post-festival) when all thirty-four floats crisscross the main streets of the city.Its origin dates back to the plague of 869. The emperor sent a special messenger to Yasaka Jinja, the ancient name of the shrine of Gion known to house the spirit of the brother of the sun goddess supposed to fight this evil, to pray and him To do this, he ordered the creation of sixty-six halberds representing the sixty-six provinces of the country.Once the epidemic was stopped, the inhabitants of Kyoto decided from 970, in gratitude, to organize a festival each year...

OMIWA

Figure from Bunraku (puppet theater)Piece: ImoseyamaVery beautiful and fresh proof bearing the red stamp and the handwritten signature of the artist.Ca.1950/70Sosaku hangaNishiki-eThis piece is one of the masterpieces of the Bunraku repertoire, whose success at the premiere in 1771 has never wavered...

SEICHI SHISEKI MEISHO

YOSHIIKU OCHIAI (1833~1904)

No.48. Meiji Shrine and cherry blossomsFrom the set : Famous, sacred and historical places1941Shin-HangaNishiki-e..

LES ACTEURS ICHIMURA UZAEMON ET ICHIMURA TAKEMATSU

Light dirt on the outer edges.ObanNishiki-e1862..

ACTEUR DU KABUKI

Portrait of a Kabuki actor in two of his roles.Very fresh proof with embossing, slight scuffing on the left outer border.Nishiki-eObanMeiji period print..

SAWAMURA TANOSUKE

Representation of the tattooed Kabuki actor.Light soiling.Nishiki-eObanMeiji period print..

SCENE DE KABUKI

The actors Ichikawa Kuzo in the role of Wakasa Shinkichi, Sawamura Tanosuke in the role of Ane-Musume Kakesara and Nakamura Shikan in the role of Temmoku Sunosuke.Triptych formerly mounted, two small holes in the bottom of the left board, very fresh colors. Oban , nishiki-e1865..

QUATRE ACTEURS DU KABUKI

GIRIN ( Actif vers 1930 )

Piece: Mureire tazu yayoi no sogagiku1874Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors representing one of the actors wearing a kimono with skulls.Previously mounted leaves, two small losses, one in the left outer border, the other in the upper left margin, a few soft handling folds.ObanNishiki-eKunichika's success continued throughout the Meiji era. In 1874, the magazine Shinbun hentai wrote: "Color woodblock prints are one of the specialties of Tokyo and Kyōsai, Yoshitoshi, Yoshiiku, Kunichika and Ginkō are experts in this field." His contemporaries agreed that in Utagawa school: "Yoshitoshi was the specialist in impressions of warriors, Kunichika the wood engraver known for his portraits of actors and Chikanobu for court ladies. He also distinguished himself by the skillful use of color". Most artists of the time, he used strong reds and dark purples, often as background colors, rather than the softer colors used until then. These new colors were made of aniline, an imported dye. of Germany during the Meiji era (To the Japanese, the color red signifies progress and awakening in the new era of Western-style progress.)..

JUMENT ET SON POULAIN

Sosaku-hanga, Nishiki-e.Ca.1930..

FEMME JOUANT DU TSUZUMISUR SUR UN POEME DE KAKAEN CHÔCHÔSHI

HOKUUN KATSUSHIKA ( Début XIXè s)

Surimono Nishiki-e Shikishiban Ca.1890 Beautiful print with embossing. Poem by Kakaen Chôchôshi. The tsuzumi is a Japanese drum of Sino-Indian origin used in Noh and Kabuki theater music, but also in min'yō Japanese folk music...

ENTRAINEMENT A NARASHINOHARA DEVANT L EMPEREUR

ANONYME XIXè

Large view of Narashinohara training ground, Shimousa provinceMeiji 7.1874Beautiful triptych in very fresh colors, formerly bound and mounted on tabs.ObanNishiki-eThis area, used as grazing land since ancient times, was called "Owatawara" after the Meiji Restoration and became a training ground for the army's royal guards. It was frequently used because it was conveniently located near Tokyo, many of the Imperial Guards who formed the core of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Army were said to have trained there.In April 1873 Emperor Meiji, who visited the area to observe the grand exercises of the royal guard led by Takamori Saigo, named this area "Narashinohara". The same year, the Daijokan officially named it "Narashinohara"...

LES LANTERNES

ANONYME XIXè

Beautiful print with fresh colors.Shin hangaEarly 20th century...

KOUMETSUMI

HIROSHIGE UTAGAWA ( 1797-1858 )

Koume Dyke( Winter )From the sequel: Meisho Edo HyakkeiReduced version of "One Hundred Views of Edo's Most Famous Places"ChubanNishiki-eTaisho period, ca.1920Slight uniform yellowing...

JOUEUSE DE SHAMISEN AJUSTANT SA COIFFURE

SHIGENOBU YANAGAWA ( 1787-1832 )

ShikishibanSurmonoNishiki-eCa.1890.Proof falsely attributed to Hokusai with gold highlights.The geisha's favorite instrument, this Bijin is represented kneeling, undoubtedly on a zabuton concealed by her clothing, at her side a large ivory plectrum (bashi or bachi) used to pluck the strings of her instrument...

FUGU NO BIJIN TO KURAGE NO TOMO

SHIGENOBU YANAGAWA ( 1787-1832 )

Pufferfish courtesan and her jellyfish companion.SurimonoShikishibanNishiki-eCa.1890...

GUERRIER A CHEVAL

SHIGENOBU YANAGAWA ( 1787-1832 )

SurimonoNishiki-eShikishibanCa.1890..

FLEURS DE CERISIER TAMBOUR ET EBOSHI

SHINSAI RYURYUKYO ( 1799-1823 )

The elements represented, inspired by an episode from : "Tale of Genji", symbolize the figure of Lady Aoi (Aoi knot). Surimono, shikishiban, nishiki-e. ca.1880. Proof with embossing, printing fold...

RAMASSAGE DES ORMEAUX ( AWABI )

SHINSAI RYURYUKYO ( 1799-1823 )

Surimono, shikishiban, nishiki-e.ca.1890.Representation of one of these traditional fisherwomen of the coastal regions, who dived half-naked into the sea in search of abalones. An inexhaustible source of fascination for Westerners, these images invaded Europe during the second half of the nineteenth century. Intended for the general public, they respond to the general demand for representations of female nudes and beautiful women. Far from the ethnographic subject, these fisherwomen impose themselves in the collective imagination as courtesans of the sea, their sensual bodies delivered to the male gaze in Japan and elsewhere...

OISEAUX ET NID

BANDO TOSHIO ( 1895-1973 )

Proof numbered 3/25..

KOKESHI OU LES POUPEES

MOKUHANSHA MIKUMO ( 1900- ? )

Sosaku hanga, numbered 41 on the back. Ca.1960..

KINUTA NO TAMAGAWA

SORI HISHIKAWA ( 1789-1818 )

Surimono, Shikishibanca.1890 Light crease print.Print180x170 mm Frame 275x255 mm..

SHOGATSU SAKE BIROKU

GAKUTEI YASHIMA ( 1786 ?- 1868 )

Elegant Chronicles of New Year's SakeProof with embossings.SurimonoShikishibanNishiki-eCa.1890..

BIJIN SCULPTANT UNE FIGURE DE KAMURO

EISHI CHÔBUNSAI ( 1756–1829 )

Beautiful print, a few scattered foxing.SurimonoShikishiban, nishikie, Ca.1890The Kamuro were the little girls who frequented the great courtesans. Placed in their service from an early age, they were between five and nine years old, they marched in the procession of their courtesan "elder sister" when she appeared in public, ran errands for her and accompanied her when she met clients...

OEILLETS

SHODO KAWARAZAKI (1889-1973)

From a suite: Floral calendar of JapanCa. 1970Unsodo EditorNishiki-eShin hangaKachoeGood proof, beautiful colors, tiny scattered foxing...

KAGOSHIMA CHINTEI SOSHO SHOKYU SHOHAI O TAMAWARU NO ZU

KOBAYASHI EITAKU ( 1843-1890 )

Fresh triptych formerly mounted on tabs.Meiji ProofNishiki-e..

DOJOJI

Red Wig Dancefrom the suite: Jūnikagetsu nōga suri" (Twelve months of Noh theatre)1975ObanShin-hangaNishiki-eBeautiful colors.Perhaps no temple is more popular than Dojoji Temple in the history of Japanese public entertainment, but no reference is made to it in this drama. The drama deals with the metamorphosis of a woman into a dragon. The print illustrates the moment when the woman, having thrown her eboshi hood with her fan, is about to be consumed.The characters inscribed in the seal mean:"Other than cherries, nothing but pines."..

SHOJO

Midare or an instrumental dancefrom the suite: Jūnikagetsu nōga suri" (Twelve months of Noh theatre)1975Shin-hangaNishiki-eBeautiful colors very light flexible folds of impression.There are two midare dances in the Noh theater which are performed accompanied by instruments such as a bamboo flute, drums and small hand drums. One of them is "Shojo no Mai" or the dance of an orangutan-like supernatural being (the other being Sagi no Mai, The Dance of a Snowy Heron).It is always presented as the last number of a program.The characters inscribed in the seal mean: "The well which contains water in infinite supply"..

KIKU JIDO

From the suite: Jūnikagetsu nōga suri" (Twelve months of Noh theatre)1975ObanShin-hangaNishiki-eBeautiful colors.He was one of the favorite subjects of Emperor Mu, until the day when, falling into disgrace following the machinations of a rival, he was banished to the mountains. Upon parting ways with him, Emperor Mu took pity on him and taught him a line from the Lotus Sutra to ensure his safety. Kikujidou, exiled to a valley of blooming chrysanthemums, spent his days writing this Buddhist saying on chrysanthemum leaves, and when one day he immersed those leaves in the stream in the valley, the water turned into an elixir of 'immortality...

HANAGATAMI

GEKKO OGATA ( 1859-1920 )

The Basket of Flowers' Dancefrom the suite: Jūnikagetsu nōga suri" (Twelve months of Noh theatre)1975ObanShin-hangaNishiki-eBeautiful colors, printing with embossing.Hanagatami or The Basket of Flowers, narrates an idyll, although not recorded in the annals, between a prince who later acceded to the throne as the twenty-sixth emperor of Japan and the daughter of a provincial lord.Princess Teruhi-no-Mae imitates here the behavior of the emperor who adored his ancestors by offering flowers to their souls in the village of Ajimano before his accession to the throne.The characters inscribed in the seal mean:"Maple Leaves Scattered in the Wind"..

BIJIN HAWA KURABE

Beauty and pinefrom the set : Bijin Hawa KagamiComparisons of beauties and flowers1898Publisher: Matsuki HeikichiNishiki-eSlight uniform yellowing, some light scattered foxing, small halo in the bottom margin, remains of old hinges on the back...

DOKE KYOGA : ACROBATIES

YOSHIKAZU UTAGAWA ( ACTIF 1848 - 1870 )

Dôke kyôga means comic pictures.Editor : KakukinCa.1858Nishiki-eObanPinhole, light dust and gaps in the left border...

LAC ET MONTAGNES

KOMATSU YOSHIMASA ( ACTIF XXè )

Beautiful proof in very fresh colors, signed.Some creases due to printing and handling.Ca.1960.Nishiki-eSosaku HangaYoshimasa Komatsu was an active member of the Japan Print Association, and lived in Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture. His favorite subjects are primarily landscapes...

HISHIKAWA MONOROBU ZU

Surimono in the Style of Hishikawa Moronobu Shikishiban, Nishiki-e ca.1890...

MENG ZONG ( MÔ SÔ )

Geisha with a box of bamboo shootsSurimono from a suite of 24: Paragons of Filial PietyShikishiban, Nishiki-e,ca.1890Beautiful fresh color print..

SERPENT ET MELONS DU CHOMON-JÛ

From the set: Washo Kurabe (a comparison of Japanese books) Creation of Hokkei, falsely signed and attributed to Hokusai. ca.1890, Shikishiban, Nishiki-e Printing with embossing, some tiny foxing..

ENTREE DU TORII D'ENOSHIMA

Surimono Shikishiban, Nishiki-e,ca.1890 Nice print with few heightened gold, Mount Fuji sketched by the use of embossing.A couple is represented here in front of the gate (torii) leading to the Shinto shrine on the promontory of Enoshima. The bag on the man's back and the woman's outfit wearing the ageb'shi (headdress protecting her elaborate bun), suggests that they are travelers from the neighboring city of Edo.The geometric pattern of the woman's kimono (yagasuri) is a kind of ikat weave reproducing the distinctive design of the arrow feather (ya). This model initially worn by women of the warrior class and then adopted by the servants of the Court of the Shoguns spread in the 19th century among the women of the city of the merchant class...

RAMASSEURS DE COQUILLAGES, KAIZUKUSHI

Some scattered foxing.SurimonoNishiki-eShikishibanCa.1890..

FAISAN