Nishimura SHIGENAGA (1697 ? –1756)

 Click here to view image full size.

The centre sheet of a triptych: Sampuku –tsui, Yashiki fu, “A set of Three Prints in the Style of a Grand House.” Shows a young beauty holding a wooden box, a sprig of cherry blossom and a flower in a paper holder. An important artist, teacher and innovator. Urushi-e, coloured by hand: Beni, mustard, yellow and blue with extensive gold powder and heavy lacquered sumi over embossed lines. Published c 1730 by Hammoto, Motohama-cho, Iga-ya. Ex collection Walter von Scheven, 1878 – 1950, and purchased by him from Altkunst, Berlin in 1925. Illustrated as frontispiece in J. Kurth, Die Primitiven des Japanholzschnitts, Dresden, 1922. A beautiful example of the artist’s work. A beautiful and extremely rare print.

Fine impression. Very slight soil and edge repaired wormage, otherwise very good condition. Signed Nihon gako Nishimura Shigenaga hitsu.

Status: Sold