Hatta KOSHU (1760-1822)
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One volume complete, Koshu gafu, “The Drawing Book of Koshu.” Original covers and title slip: 35 sheets ( numbered ex last sheet ); 5pp. preface dated Bunka 9 ( 1812 ), signed Kamo Suetaka, 30 double-page colour-printed illustrations, 1 p. signature Koshu, seal Fujizane and Koshu, 2pp. closing note, dated Bunka 9, signed Fuminoya Shigetaka; sheets numbered 1/2 advertisements of publisher Yoshida Shimbei, Kyoto. Colophon dated Bunka 9 with publishers Kawachiya Kihei, Osaka and Yoshidaya Shimbei, Kyoto. A fine artist who came under the influence of Okyo. Jack Hillier in The uninhibited brush, Hugh M. Moss ltd, 1974, p. 162, speaks of the Koshu gafu: “This is a perfect exposition of his quite personal style and shows his competence in handling widely varied subject matter.” A two-volume edition without date is known and probably constitutes a second edition ( Brown, p. 100; Gonse III, No. 520 ). Ex collections Hayashi Tadamasa and H.M.Kaempfer. Slight soil and staining. One page with a blue pigment mark and small ink inscription on front cover, otherwise very good condition.
Status: Available
Ippitsusai BUNCHO (1763-1840)
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Ichikawa Danjuro V probably as Watanabe Kiou Takiguchi in the play Nue no mori ichiyou no matsu performed at the Nakamura-za in the 11th month of 1770. It was in this month that Koshiro III took the name of Danjuro V. Shows Danjuro in the iconic costume of the Shibaraku scene with the giant mon. Buncho was a connoisseur of paintings ( he wrote Buncho gadan [ Treatise on Painting ] ), and was one of the most important painters and print designers of this period. A fine design and extremely rare.
Fine impression. The background probably “turned” from a pale blue ( as usual ). Trimmed into signature at left, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ippitsusai Buncho ga.
Status: Available
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
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Tamatori-hime stealing the sacred jewel from the Dragon King’s Palace, Ryugu Tamatori-hime no zu. Published by Yamaguchiya Tobei, Ox 6, 1853. The ama is shown being pursued by the Dragon King and his various fishy retainers. This was a favourite subject of Kuniyoshi’s and he designed a number of triptychs and single sheets. A wonderful and rare design.
Fine impression and colour. Extensive splashed gofun. Trimmed round, otherwise very good condition. Signed Chooro Kuniyoshi ga and Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Torii KIYOMITSU (1735-1780)
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A hosoban benizuri-e print in beni, yellow and blue showing the actor Segawa Kikunojo II ( bottom left ) in the role of musume Kagekiyo and Ichimura Uzaemon IX ( top right ) as Osu … possibly Osutoko. “Musume” means “daughter”, while Kagekiyo was the famous general of the Heike clan. However, if Kikunojo were playing Kagekiyo’s daughter then it would be written Kagekiyo musume. ( His daughter was named Hitomaru and she does indeed feature in many plays about him. ) But in this case, it perhaps refers to a female version of Kagekiyo although no information on this is to hand. However, if Kikunojo is playing Kagekiyo’s daughter after all, and it’s just written the other way round for some reason, then it would identify the performance and date nicely: the play would be Soga yawaragi Soga performed at the Ichimura-za in the 1st month of 1767. Published by Nishimura, Eijudo han. Extremely rare. ( Many thanks to Paul Griffith for the elucidation above. )
Fine impression and colour. Slight vertical fold and small expertly restored wormhole near bottom edge. Signed Torii Kiyomitsu ga.
Status: Available
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
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Saginoike Heikuro from Honcho Suikoden goyu happyaku-nin no hitori, “Eight Hundred Heroes of our Country’s Suikoden, One by One.” Shows the brigand wrestling with a huge serpent at the Lake of Sayama ( or Hazama ) at Tondabayashi in the Province of Kawachi. Published by Ibaya Sensaburo, c 1845. Robinson S4b.4. Fine design.
Very good impression and colour. Full size. Slightly soiled bottom left, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
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Tenjiku Tokubei ( 1619-1686 ) from an untitled series of warrior prints published by Kawaguchi Uhei, 1826-27. Tokubei was celebrated for his travels to India, Macao and Siam, and subsequently wrote about his exploits. He is usually represented surrounded by frogs and making magic with his fingers ( as here – Gama Yojutsu ) which enabled him to change into a frog. He is shown astride an enormous frog in a thunderstorm. Fine design.
Very good impression and colour. Slightly trimmed at bottom, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Kochoro KUNISADA (1786-1865)
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An aizurie fan print of the Husband and Wife rocks, Futami beach, Ise Province. A favourite beauty spot and a Shinto site showing the tasselled rope hanging between the two formations. From a series of extremely rare aizurie fan prints published 5/1830 by Daikokuya. Indeed, this may be the only known impression of this design.
Very good impression and colour. Restored and laid onto stable Japanese paper.
Signed Oju Kunisada ga ( “By special request” ).
Status: Available
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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A high-ranking courtesan ( oiran ) looking over her shoulder. From a set of six prints: Bijin kaichu kagami – Jisei rokkassen: Ariwara no Narihira, “ A Pocket Mirror of Beauties – Six Immortal Poets of the Era: Ariwara no Narihira.” The set compares the beauties to the six “immortal” waka poets of the 9th/10th centuries. The maple leaves on the oiran’s collar identify the subject as compared to the poet Ariwara no Narihira ( 825-880 A.D. ). The set published by Senichi, c 1826-28.
Fine early impression. Fine colour. Very slight soil, otherwise fine condition. Full size. Signed Keisai Eisen ga.
Status: Available
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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A vertical diptych of a carp leaping a waterfall. Published by Kansendo, c 1830 – 44. Illustrated Keisai Eisen: Artist of the Floating World, Chiba City Museum of Art, 2012, p. 240, pl. 313.
Very good impression, colour and condition. This was a popular design and later impressions are common. Signed Keisai hitsu with large red artist’s seal Eisen.
Status: Available
Katsushika HOKUGA (Fl. c 1820s to 1830)
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An original fan painting showing a seated beauty holding a fan. Full colour on mica- covered paper. 6.5 x 18.5 in; 16.5 x 47 cms. Hokuga was a pupil of Hokusai and produced paintings and surimono. Good condition. Laid onto Japanese paper. Signed Hokuga hitsu.
Status: Available
Utagawa KUNINAO (1793-1854)
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An original painting showing a sumptuously attired parading courtesan. Kuninao was a pupil of Toyokuni, then a follower of Hokusai. Above is a lengthy inscription on the Yoshiwara by Shikitei Sanba ( 1776-1822 ). Together with Santo Kyoden, a professional writer of gesaku fiction. Famous for one of the best known works of the late Edo period; Ukiyoburo or “Bathhouse of the Floating World” ( 1809 ). Full colour on silk, 33.25 x 12.25 in; 84.5 x 31 cms. Slight browning, otherwise good condition. Old mount in good condition. Painting signed Utagawa Kuninao with Utagawa seal. Inscription signed and sealed Shikitei Sanba with date Bunka 9 ( 1812 ).
Status: Available
Katsukawa SHUNCHO (Fl. c 1780-1801)
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An original painting showing a standing beauty inserting a hairpin. An important print artist who produced many fine diptychs and triptychs. Paintings by him are rare. Studied under Shunsho, then Kiyonaga and Shumman. Full colour on silk, 30.75 x 10.5 in; 78 x 26.5 cms. Signed Shien Shuncho with unread seals.
Status: Available
Katsushika HOKUGA (Fl. c 1820s to 1830)
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A fine original painting showing a beauty on the snow-covered dock used by boats to the Yoshiwara. Hokuga was a pupil of Hokusai and produced paintings and surimono. Full colour on silk, 37.5 x 11.25 in; 92.75 x 28.5 cms. Two repaired wormholes, otherwise very good condition. Box with title “Beauty Standing on Dock” with painting guaranteed on the underside of lid by Narasaki Muneshige. Illustrated in Ukiyo-e Paintings in Japanese Collections, vol. 7: the Manno Art Museum, edited by Kobayashi Tadashi. The inscription above is by Ota Nampo – Shokusanjin ( 1749-1823 ). Signed Karyosai Hokuga fude.
Status: Available
Gessai GABIMARU (Fl. c 1810)
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A beautiful painting of a parading courtesan. A follower of Chobunsai Eishi in the Bunka period. There are works by him signed Chobunsai, so he may have been related to Eishi. Full colour on silk, 29.5 x 5.75 in; 75 x 14.5 cms. Painting in good condition. Mount is old and the painting should either be framed or remounted. Signed Gessai Gabimaru ga.
Status: Available
Shiokawa BUNRIN et al
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A fine Kyoto gassaku painting. ( A collaborative work by a group of friends. ) Shows a lobster by Shiokawa Bunrin ( 1808-1877 ), a pupil of Toyohiko; clams by Hasegawa Gyokuho ( 1822-1879 ) a pupil of Keibun; a sea bream by Yokoyama Seiki ( 1792-1864 ) a pupil of Keibun; and a stingray by Murase Soseki ( 1822-1877 ), a pupil of Keibun and Seiki. Four masters of the Shijo school. A large painting in full colour on silk in very good condition, 52.5 x 27.5 in; 133.5 x 70 cms. Mount in very good condition.
Status: Available
Ishikawa TOYONOBU (1711-1785)
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A wide hashira-e ( 27.5 x 10 in; 70 x 25.5 cms ). Urushi-e, hand-coloured in beni, blue, yellow, mustard and lilac. These early majestic Toyonobu prints are amongst the masterpieces of Ukiyoe. Of the utmost rarity: From a set of three prints of Beauties of the Three Capitals. Sanpukutsui Keichu, “ A Set of Three: Within Kyoto.”The other two designs show women from Edo and Osaka. The only other impression is illustrated in the Bulletin of the Worcester Art Museum, April, 1915, p. 8. There is also a hosoban triptych of same subject by Toyonobu, c 1750s, in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, accession number: 11.19672. This cheaper production follows the designs of the larger prints closely and was obviously intended to cash in on their popularity. Other similar designs were in the Vever sales, Sothebys, 26/3/1974 and 26/3/1975. Shows a standing courtesan with a pipe, her acolyte holding her tobacco tray. Published c 1747 by Mura ( Murata-ya ) hammoto.
Fine impression with extremely fine and delicate hand-colouring. Very slight creasing and very slight browning but otherwise in exceptional condition. Signed Tanjodo Ishikawa Shuha Toyonobu zu. Seals Toyonobu and Ishikawa uji.
Status: Available
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
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Ogata Shuma Hiroyuki ( later Jiraiya ) from Honcho Suikoden goyu happyaku-nin no hitori, “Eight Hundred Heroes of our Country’s Suikoden, One by One.” Shows the brigand with a heavy o-zutsu, hand cannon, bearing down on an enormous snake which had been preying on his friends the toads. Published c 1830 by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon. Robinson S4.12. Fine design.
Very good impression and colour. Slightly trimmed right and bottom, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available