Posts by Richard Kruml:
Totoya HOKKEI ( 1780-1850 )
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A mounted sage followed by his servant crossing a bridge over a lake. One of an excessively rare chuban series with title Toshi gafu no uchi, “Drawing Album for Chinese Poems” printed in red, and sub-title Toshin denshi. Printed in tones of blue except for a light flush on the horizon. Another impression ( trimmed ) was in the Vever collection ( ex Hayashi ), Sotheby’s, Part III, lot 295. Other impressions ( damaged ) are in the BM, ref: 1937, 0710,0,229 and Honolulu Museum of Art, ref: 14466. Hokkei was one of Hokusai’s best pupils and designed many fine surimono. Unidentified publisher’s seal and censor’s seal in right margin ( trimmed off on the other impressions ).
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Hokkei.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI ( 1760-1849 )
Click here to view image full size. Shrike and wild strawberry from the so-called Small Flower series of ten chuban prints published c 1832. Amongst the most sought- after of Hokusai’s prints. The first edition ( as here ) was published by and has the seal Eijudo. A later edition has combined manji and kiwame […]
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II ( 1826-1869 )
Click here to view image full size. Hiroshige II’s best print. Suo Iwakuni no Kintaibashi, “The Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni in Suo Province.” From Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Various Provinces.” Published by Uoya Heikichi 11/1859. The rare first edition has a variegated sub-cartouche but this is still an extremely early […]
Yashima GAKUTEI ( 1786-1864 )
Click here to view image full size. A surimono showing the Chinese warrior Huang Zhong ( Jap: Ko Chu, d. 220 AD ). Best known for his role in the novel Tale of the Three Kingdoms. He is shown wearing tiger skin breeches and armed with a large sword, bow and arrows. From a set […]
Yashima GAKUTEI ( 1786-1864 )
Click here to view image full size. A surimono showing the Chinese warrior Ma Chao ( Jap: Ba Cho, 176-222 AD ). Best known for his role in the novel Tale of the Three Kingdoms. He is shown leaning on a giant axe. From a set Go koshogun, “The Five Tiger Generals.” Title on right […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Minakuchi, Station 51 from the Tokaido gojusantsugi, “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road.” The set published by Hoeido and Senkakudo, c 1833-4. Shows the village women, at left, peeling and drying gourds to make the famous kampyo. Exceptionally early printing. Probably first edition. Fine colour. Very slight centre […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Toi Tama River in Settsu Province with a poem by Minamoto no Toshiyori from the series of six prints Shokoku Mutamagawa , “Six Jewel Rivers in the Provinces.” Shows women fulling cloth beneath a full moon. The set published by Maruya Kyushiro 11/1857. Superb impression. Fine colour and […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Noda Tama River in Mutsu Province with a poem by Noin from the series of six prints Shokoku Mutamagawa , “Six Jewel Rivers in the Provinces.” Shows a Heian beaty and attendant admiring the view. The set published by Maruya Kyushiro 11/1857. Very fine impression, colour and condition. […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Fujieda, no. 23, from the so-called Reisho Tokaido because of the formal script used for the title. One of the best designs from the set. Travellers well covered against the rain traversing a path between fields. Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI ( 1760-1849 )
Click here to view image full size. A surimono showing two young girls making new year envelopes. On the side screen is a view of Fuji. Three poems above. Published c 1806. Fine impression and colour. Small strengthened area au verso, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hokusai ga. Status: Sold
Tsukioka SETTEI ( 1710-1786 )
Click here to view image full size. An original painting showing a beauty sitting on an engawa having picked flowers which she is placing in a wooden bucket beside her. Settei produced many illustrated books but after around 1765 turned towards painting beauties, courtesans and geishas. They are of the utmost refinement – the faces […]
Utagawa YOSHIFUJI ( 1828-1887 )
Click here to view image full size. The head of the cat-witch of Okabe from the Fifty-three Stations. The head is composed of convoluted cats’ bodies; the eyes being two bells that are usually found round cats’ necks and the mouth a thick ribbon as worn by cats. Any young girl visiting the temple was […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE II ( 1829-1869 )
Click here to view image full size. The foremost pupil of Hiroshige. Formerly called Shigenobu, he assumed the name Hiroshige II on Hiroshige’s death and married his daughter. Shows Soshu Shichirigahama, the “Seven Ri Beach” near Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. From the set Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “The One Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Shionata from Kisokaido rokujukyutsugi no uchi, “Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido.” The set of seventy prints was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseya Rihei ( Kinjudo ). Shows the eastern shore […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. Nihonbashi Edobashi “The Nihon and Edo Bridges from Edo meisho hyakkei, “The Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” The wooden Nihonbashi ( literally Japan Bridge ) was completed in 1603. The current stone bridge dates to 1911. A classic Hiroshige composition using a large foreground object to give depth […]
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI ( 1839-1892 )
Click here to view image full size. An original painting showing Fukurokugu – the God of Happiness, Wealth and Longevity and one of the Seven Gods of Good Luck, Shichi-fuku-ji, teasing a cat with the tassle on his fan. The Seven Gods theme comes from China, and possibly India as well, apart from Ebisu. Sumi […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. Kwatsuyemra Genshoshichi hiding under a tiger-skin in a boat under a hail of arrows. From Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyaku-hachi-nin no hitori, “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One.” Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon, c 1827-30. Robinson S2.40. Fine impression and colour. Very good condition: […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. Saito Toshimoto and a Chinese general struggling underwater. The second best design from Taiheiki yeiyu den, “Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki.” Published by Yamamoto-ya Heikichi, 1848-9. Robinson S62.31. Extremely fine impression of the earliest printing. ( This is the best example I have seen of this design. ) […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. The last stand of the Kusunoki at Shijonawate, Shijonawate nite Nanke no eiyu taiteki o. Shows the final battle of Shijonawate in 1348 with Kusunoki Masatsura, the son of Kusunoki Masashige, under a deluge of arrows continuing his father’s struggle against the Ashikaga forces. This forms a 6-sheet […]
Yashima GAKUTEI ( 1780-c 1869 )
Click here to view image full size. A surimono showing the nine-tailed fox ( Tamamo-no-mae ) and the warrior Miuranosuke who was a palace guard in the court of Emperor Konoe ( 1139-1155 ). Issued c 1826 for a sub-group of the Biwa-ren poetry circle ( emblem top right ) headed by Benbenkan. Poems by […]
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892 )
Click here to view image full size. Taira no Masakado ( 901-940 ) from an extremely rare and early set: Honcho hyaku yuden, “One Hundred Warriors of Japan.” Masakado was an interloper who attempted to set up a rival court at Ishii in Shimosa to that of Regent Tadahira in Kyoto. He was subsequently killed […]
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE ) ( 1777-1835 )
Click here to view image full size. Evening Glow ( Sunset ) at Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. From a set Meisho hakkei, “Eight Views of Famous Places” ( based on the Eight Views of Omi theme ). Published 1830s by Iseri. The town is famous for the Onsen hot springs and the area is known for […]
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI ( 1839-1892 )
Click here to view image full size. Arguably Yoshitoshi’s masterpiece in the triptych format. Shows Mongaku ( Endo Morito, c.1120-1200 ) subjecting himself to three year’s penance as a Buddhist monk beneath the waterfall of Mount Nachi in Kii Province. Morito inflicted this punishment on himself because he had inadvertently cut off the head of […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. The priest Nichiren standing on the rocky promontory at Reizan in Kamakura and having his prayers for rain answered. The event occurred in 1271. His disciples surround him and protect him from the deluge with a large umbrella. Bunei hachi Kamakura Reizan-ga-saki uki. The second best design from […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing the old hag of Hitotsuya in the dilapidated house on Adachi Moor. The morbid story tells of a woman who developed cannibalistic habits for the lord of the district who required the blood of babies or young women. The hag menacies a young girl while […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI ( 1760-1849 )
Click here to view image full size. Hotei with a karako puppet doll. Hotei, the God of abundance and good health, was one of the Seven Gods of Good Luck. The concept originated in India ( except Ebisu ) and came to Japan via China. He is usually shown as a shaven-headed priest in loose […]
Kitagawa SHIKIMARO ( active c 1810 )
Click here to view image full size. An original painting, full colour on silk, image size 37.75 in x 15 in; 96 cms x 38 cms. This pupil of Kitagawa Tsukimaro is known for his prints of full length beauties. Paintings by him are extremely rare and this is possibly the finest example. Shows a […]
Harukawa GOSHICHI ( 1776-1831 )
Click here to view image full size. A rare Edo artist and poet who moved to Kyoto in the late 1810s. This Osaka surimono is extremely subtle showing a moon printed in silver amongst clouds and slanting rain. The artist was active c 1810s-1820s. The seal bottom right is of Tani Seiko – the leading […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
Click here to view image full size. A snowy view: Meguro taikobashi yuhi no oka, “Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill, Meguro” from Edo meisho hyakkei, “The Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” Shows the valley of the Meguro River with Sunset Hill to the left. Stone bridges were uncommon in Edo because of the risk from […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
Click here to view image full size. Kyusempo Sakucho at the battle of Peking from Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyaku-hachi-nin no hitori, “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One.” Shows the brigand wielding a huge axe and plunging through deep snow on his horse. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon, c 1827-30. Robinson […]
Keisai EISEN ( 1790-1848 )
Click here to view image full size. A prolific pupil of Eizan. Shows a carp swimming among water-weed. Blue ground. An extremely rare print. Published by Ezakiya, c 1843-6. There is another version of this print without censor’s seal and with a moon reflected in the water. This appears to be a copy of the […]
Utagawa YOSHIHARU ( 1828-1888 )
Click here to view image full size. A Chinese brigand, Hakujisso Hakusho, fighting a giant rooster from Suikoden gogetsu kagami, “Mirror of Heroes of the Suikoden.” Yoshiharu was a pupil of Kuniyoshi. Published by Yamaguchiya Tobei. Fine impression with extensive burnishing on the rooster. Fine colour and condition. Signed Ipposai Yoshiharu ga. Status: Sold
Ichijusai YOSHIKAZU ( active c 1850-1870 )
Click here to view image full size. The Earth Spider cornered in its cavernous lair by Raiko’s four retainers ( Shi-tenno ): Watanabe no Tsuna; Usui no Sadamitsu; Urabe no Suetaka, and Sakata no Kintoki. Published by Maruya Jimpachi in 1858. Yoshikazu was a pupil of Kuniyoshi who also designed a version of this story. […]
Ichieisai YOSHITSUYA ( 1822-1866 )
Click here to view image full size. Amidst lightning bolts a large white dragon emerges from the Koromo River before Yoshitsune and his followers at the battle of Takatachi in Mutsu Province in 1187. Yoshitsune’s loyal retainer, Benkei, is in the centre wearing a white monk’s cowl and holding his personal standard with Buddhist prayer […]