Issue 3 Fall 2019 Japanese Woodblock Prints and Fine Asian Art
㊂ WELCOME TO TOKAIDO ARTS’
Tokaido Arts is excited to showcase a rare selection from of our new acquisitions. Japanese Woodblock Prints and Fine Asian Art Since 1971
Our first set of prints feature polyptychs, or multiple oban-size sheets combined to create one unifying image. All of these prints also feature water in various forms. The artists come from a shared line of great ukiyo-e artists. Utagawa Kuniyoshi was a master ukiyo-e printmaker whose works depicting warriors and historical legends established himself as one of the greatest artists of the period. Yoshitoshi and Yoshikazu were both pupils of Kuniyoshi and continued to carry forward the Utagawa tradition well into the Meiji period. And Utagawa Kunisada II, a pupil of Kunisada (Toyokuni III), built a reputation for his grand and intricate designs of late Edo-period Japan.
Our second set of prints feature works that were considered too risque for the conservative sensibilities of early twentieth century Japan, particularly in the 1930s. The prints are tame by modern standards, and once one sees the technique, composition, and medium used make these prints a whole new level of appreciation is developed. All of these prints embrace modern art and style popular in Japan in the years leading up to World War II.
We hope you enjoy this next catalog!
Your Friends at Tokaido Arts Japan Center 1581 Webster Street, Suite 202 HOW TO ORDER San Francisco, CA 94115 > Prices for all items are listed in the back pages of this catalog. U.S.A.
> All prints are first-come, first-served. You may request a reserve of 48 hours if you would like to view the print first in our gallery. Tel: +1 (415) 567-4390 > For prints purchased from this catalog, returns are accepted if returned in the exact condition they were shipped. Buyer is responsible Email: [email protected] for all return shipping costs and liability if damaged or lost.
> We are able to send detailed images of both the front and backs of prints upon request. The most accurate reading of color and www.TokaidoArts.com condition is in-person!
> All prints are guaranteed authentic as described. Letters of authenticity can be issued upon request.
> All prints are sold mounted on silk-finished matting using acid-free materials to our standard size. If you would like to receive your print unmounted or would prefer a different size matting, please let us know! Issue 3 | September 2019 © All Rights Reserved > For more information about Tokaido Arts and our gallery please visit us at www.TokaidoArts.com. And tell your friends! Tokaido Arts WATER MARKED
As an island nation, the oceans, seas, and waterways of Japan have had an enourmous influence in Japanese woodblock prints. Water is a central subject in many compositions (think Hokusai’s Great Wave Off Kanagawa), or is used to provide context and place in many designs.
Tokaido Arts is pleased to feature a selection of newly acquired works which share a common theme: water. The selections show water in some form - the sea, a beach, a river - and illustrate the important role water plays in the physical and spiritual lives of the people in Japan.
All the prints are also formatted as diptychs or triptychs. The format is common among Japanese prints from the ukiyo-e and Meiji periods. They are grand in scale, conveying time and place in a visually arresting composition many collectors of Japanese prints treasure.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi / Shunkan on Kikai Island / 1886 Vertical dipychs (also known as kakemono-e) by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi are some of the artist’s most collectible pieces. This image shows the samurai Shunkan, one of four sentenced to exile at an island named Kikai south of Kyushi province for plotting to overthrow the ruling Taira clan in the twelfth century. Here he watches enviously as his co-conspirator, Yasuyori is pardoned, leaving Shunkan alone on the island. 1
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Utagawa Kunisada II / Evening Glow at Seta / c. 1850 A pupil of Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), one of the most prolific and important ukiyo-e period artists, Kunisada II carried forward the legacy of Kunisada into the Meiji era. This print shows the Seta River bridge in Otsu on Lake Biwa. The backdrop is beautifully rendered, with the figures (one man and two women) in the foreground the primary focus of the piece. The intricate design in the kimonos are meticulously printed and detailed to exemplify the elegance of the upper class style at the time.
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Utagawa Kuniyoshi / Minamoto no Yoritomo Releasing 1,000 Cranes at Tsura-ga-oka / c. 1842 Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate in the late twelfth century. Here Yoritomo is shown releasing 1,000 captured and tagged cranes at Yuigahama beach at Tsura-ga-oka, believing they would live 1,000 years. He instructed people to report on any sightings, and there are stories of people seeing Yoritomo’s cranes hundreds of years after his death. This rare and fine condition triptych by the great Utagawa Kuniyoshi is striking in its composition and detail.
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Utagawa Yoshikazu / Storm at Daimotsu Bay / 1860 The war between the Taira and Minamoto clans in the twelth century is one of Japan’s most important historical legacies. In this triptych by Utagawa Yoshikazu, the ghosts of Taira no Monimori (seen at the top of the left panel) and his clan seek revenge on members of the Minamota clan as they cross Daimotsu Bay in a storm. The apparitions can be found interspersed into the waves, which also take on ghostly forms. Little is known about Yoshikazu (active c. 1850-1870) and his life as a woodblock print artist. A pupil of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Yoshikazu is known for his prints of Westerners (yokohama-e) in addition to his historical designs.
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Taiso Yoshitoshi / View of the Ryogoku Bridge / 1875 Another beauty by the great Yoshitoshi (signed Taiso Yoshitoshi), this rare triptych shows a lively and active day on Tokyo’s Ryogoku bridge, which spans the Sumida river. A popular subject in Japanese woodblock prints throughout the ukiyo-e period, the print shows leisure boats, horse-drawn carriages, and families throughout. A pupil of Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi is considered the last of the great ukiyo-e period artists. This fine print is a prime example of Yoshitoshi’s earlier work.
TOKAIDO ARTS 7 NUDES RISKY BUSINESS
Woodblock prints in early twentieth century Japan depicting fully nude women was risky business. While bijin-ga (beautiful person pictures) and erotic shunga (spring pictures) in the nineteenth century’s Edo and Meiji periods were common, authorities in modern Japan often did not embrace the realism of nude prints during the burgeoning shin-hanga print movement. Many of the artists considered masters today of twentieth century bijin prints, such as Torii Kotondo or Ito Shinsui, saw some of their works censored, with their woodblock and prints banned or destroyed. As a result, many of these prints are rare and highly prized among art collectors today.
Tokaido Arts is pleased to offer a selection of woodblock prints by one of the most well-known artists to produce nudes from the shin-hanga period, Ishikawa Toraji (1875-1964). A master painter, Toraji’s print series Ten Types of Female Nudes elevated his noteriety with its risque compositions and a departure from his usual subject: landscapes. All the prints in the series were banned in 1934 when originally issued; here we feature five.
Also included is one of three nudes created by the master print-maker Hiroshi Yoshida. Yoshida’s skill in printing many of his own blocks set him apart from many of his contemporaries. 6
Odori (Dance) / 1934 A highly stylized art deco print showing a nude dancer in an alluring pose, detailed with silver mica fish net and soft color gradations throughout. A rare and prized nude print from Ishikawa’s series.
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Kuroi Neko (Black Cat) / 1934 Seishun (Spring Time of Life) / 1934 Cats are a common subject in Japanese prints, bestowing good luck and companionship. This rare A woman embraces modern style with her short-bob hairstyle and furnishings. The wall paper is first edition print shows a woman and her cat on a bed adorned with modern furnishings. printed using silver pigments, giving the print an elegant shimmer.
TOKAIDO ARTS 9 Tsurezure (Bored) / 1934 The works of the great ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro is celebrated in this print showing a woman lounging on a rug while browsing a book of his works. Her cat lounges beside her on the rug.
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Suzu No Ne (Tinkle of a Bell) / 1934 The Japanese Chin dog was a popular breed among Japanese nobility. Here a woman plays with her Chin on a red carpet, with mah jong tiles strewn about.
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TOKAIDO ARTS 10 Study of a Nude / Hiroshi Yoshida / 1927 The subtle bokashi printing in the background of Yoshida’s print provides a striking backdrop to this print. Exquisitely done and printed on a large sheet, the print is brush and hand-signed by Yoshida and includes 11 a jizuri seal, indicating that Yoshida himself printed this design.
TOKAIDO ARTS 11 How to Use Our Print and Price List • All woodblock prints are guaranteed authentic as described. Letters of authenticy can be issued upon request at no extra charge. • Original photo captures of any prints can be sent upon request. While we do our best to digitally capture the color and condition of all prints, we believe that no computer replaces seeing them in-person! • Prints purchased from this catalog can be returned if you are not satisfied. Buyer must pay return shipping and is liable for lost or damaged prints while in transit or in your care. Please contact us first. • Prints are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be reserved for 48 hours. We will release to the next customer without notice. • Price and availability of all prints are subject to change at any time without notice. California residents add 8.5% sales tax. Shipping charges calculated at invoicing.
About Print Sizing and Our Matting • To help with design and framing, Tokaido Arts ships all prints mounted and matted on silk-finished matting using acid-free materials. If you prefer to have your prints shipped un-matted, please let us know. • Images of our woodblock prints are not presented to scale in catalog. Refer to chart for common woodblock print sizes and their approximate dimensions. • FOR DIPTYCHS AND TRIPTYCHS: Additional oversized shipping charges apply for matted diptych and triptych prints (minimum $100). Note that we cannot ship matted polyptychs internationally.
DOUBLE Chart show approximate size of OBAN woodblock prints noted by common Japanese sizes indicated in price list. V D DOUBLE Approximate E Size I OBAN Dimensions R P T 22” X 28” Chuban 7.5” X 10” T I Y C Aiban 9” X 13” C A H L Oban 10” X 15” TRIPTYCH Double Oban 15” X 20” 22” X 28” Triptych 3 X 10” X 15”
18” X 32”
20” or 22” X 40”
TOKAIDO ARTS 12 About Condition Descriptions • Condition of prints are assessed with stars, from fair to pristine. Quality is determined by the condition of the print and the extent of repairs, soiling, toning, folds, tears, ets. Short notes are provided if applicable. Color and impression is determined by the vibrancy of color and quality of lines. • A full condition report, along with high-resolution images, can be provided upon request. Please drop us a line if you are interested in any of the prints!
Quality (overall condition/state) H Fair H H Good H H H Very Good H H H H Excellent H H H H H Pristine
Color and Impression (vibrancy and lines) H Fair H H Good H H H Very Good H H H H Excellent H H H H H Pristine
Water Marked
Catalog Condition Artist Name Print Title Date Size Notes Price Number Quality Color and Impression
Tsukioka (Taiso) 1 Shunkan on Kikai Island 1886 H H H H H H Oban Diptych Prints joined at center with light crease; soiling on top sheet; trimmed $1,500 Yoshitoshi
2 Utagawa Kunisada II Evening Glow at Seta c. 1850 H H H H H H H H Oban Triptych Light wrinkling, otherwise excellent condition and color $1,950
Minamoto no Yoritomo 3 Utagawa Kuniyoshi c. 1842 H H H H H H H H Oban Triptych No condition problems to note; mica burnish in sky; untrimmed $7,500 Releasing 1,000 Cranes
4 Utagawa Yoshikazu Storm at Daimotsu Bay 1860 H H H H H H H H Oban Triptych Light spot in panel one, otherwise excellent condition; untrimmed $2,300
Small spots in sky in panel two, otherwise beautiful colors and in fine 5 Taiso Yoshitoshi View of the Ryogoku Bridge 1875 H H H H H H H H Oban Triptych $2,900 condition; untrimmed NUDES: Risky Business
Toraji’s most famous print from the series; mica-printed fish net; 6 Odori (Dance) H H H H H H H H $3.200 published by Matsuzaki Keisaburo
7 Kuroi Neko (Black Cat) H H H H H H H H Published by Matsuzaki Keisaburo $2,700 Paper approx. 14.5” X 19” 8 Ishikawa Toraji Seishun (Spring Time of Life) 1934 H H H H H H H H Published by Matsuzaki Keisaburo $2,700 Image approx. 13 X 18 9 Suzu No Ne (Tinkle of a Bell) H H H H H H H H Early edition published by Ryoko-uso Gahitsu $3,200
10 Tsurezure (Bored) H H H H H H H H Published by Matsuzaki Keisaburo $2,700
Jizuri seal (self-printed) and brush/pencil signed by Hiroshi Yoshida; an 11 Hiroshi Yoshida Study of a Nude 1927 H H H H H H H H Double Oban $3,500 exquisitly produced large format print; ink on bottom right corner
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