Posts by Richard Kruml:
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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An original drawing in sumi with light red under-drawing, 9.75 x 6.75 in; 24.7 x 17.2 cms, on thin paper laid onto card. Shows a general looking down on a castle. Slight foxing. Sold “as is.” Ex Tikotin collection, seal bottom right.
Status: Sold
Kishi GANTAI (1782-1865)
Click here to view image full size. A superb large gajo (11 x 8 in; 28 x 20.4 cms) of tour de force paintings folding out to comprise: 17 two-sheet designs; 16 four-sheet designs; 5 six-sheet designs; 1 ten-sheet design, making a total of 138 sheets in sumi and light colour on paper. Gantai was […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original sumi drawing (hanshita-e) of oban size for an unpublished set: Eiyu kumiuchi zu, “Collection of Heroes in Combat.” Has a date seal for 1856. Sumi and light colour with pentimenti on thin paper. Shows the protagonists Satsuma no Kami Tadanori, a famous general of the […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original sumi drawing (hanshita-e) of oban size for an unpublished set, c. 1856. Sumi and light colour with extensive pentimenti on thin paper. Shows two samurai in combat. In extremely good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Rare. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)
Click here to view image full size. An original preliminary oban sumi drawing for an unpublished set. Shows a young woman teaching a child to play the shamisen and how to use the plectrum (bachi). With intended series title: Osana musume keiko awase, “Teaching the Arts to a Young Girl.” And sub-title: Imouto e oshieru […]
Utagawa KUNISADA II (1823-1880)
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e entitled: Hanayagura, Tenno Matsuri. This famous festival takes place in July in Tsushima, Aichi, with boats floating down the Tenno River. Shows a festival participant with a lion mask. Sumi with touches of red on thin paper with pentimenti to face. In good […]
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original harimaze-e drawing (two or more images on a single page originally intended to be cut apart). Sumi on paper. Intended for a set of such prints of the complete Tokaido. This sheet shows five stations: Shono (horse); Ishiyakushi (cherry blossom); Kuwana (oysters and cockles); Asakusa (the […]
Utagawa YOSHITORA (Fl. c. 1850-1880)
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e triptych drawing for an unpublished print: Okehazama daikassen no zue, “The Great Battle of Okehazama.” Shows Imagawa Yoshimoto being attacked by Hattori Koheita and Mori Shinsuke and killed. The battle was in June 1560. The intended print was to be published by Kiya Sojiro and […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing, sumi on thin paper, 14.5 x 10.5 in; 37 x 27 cms, laid onto Japanese card. Shows a standing warrior with his sword drawn: A common subject in Hokusai’s oeuvre. In very good condition. Status: Sold
UNSEN
Click here to view image full size. The dates for Unsen are not known but he was working in the early Meiji period. This original hanshita-e shows Imperial troops defeating the rebellion during the Shimabara riot. (The events took place in 1637/8 although contemporary uniforms and artillery are shown. Comments on topical subjects were often […]
Utagawa YOSHIKAZU (Active c 1849-1867)
Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. A five-sheet original drawing (hanshita-e) showing a parade of beauties before a wicker fence and blossom. Bigyoku imayo hanazoroi, “An Assortment of Modern Beautiful Gems as Flowers.” Nice brushwork on the sumptuous kimonos. Sumi with sumi wash and light touches of […]
Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e drawing showing actors in different roles; above as a warrior and beneath in an onnagata role. Sumi and red on thin paper. Image size 12.5 x 6 in, 31.5 x 15 cms. . For a series of designs contained within a hagoita ( wooden paddles […]
Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e drawing possibly showing Kagekiyo breaking prison. Sumi on thin paper. Image size 13 x 6.5 in, 33 x 16.5 cms. . For a series of designs contained within a hagoita ( wooden paddles used to play the New Year hanetsuki game ). Numerous indications for […]
Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e drawing probably showing Danjuro IX as Benkei. Sumi with light touches of pink and blue on thin paper, image size 12.75 x 6.5 in, 32.5 x 16.5 cms. For a series of designs contained within a hagoita ( wooden paddles used to play the New […]
Mizuno TOSHIKATA (1866–1908)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original drawing for the first sheet of a published triptych by Yoshitoshi for the set Dai Nippon shiryaku showing the naval battle of Dannoura in the reign of Antoku, the 80th Emperor. Published 20/4/1880. The British Museum has a complete preparatory sketch for this triptych. The […]
Mizuno TOSHIKATA (1866–1908)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original drawing for the first sheet of an unpublished ( ?) triptych by Yoshitoshi showing the king of the Tengu, Dai Sojobo, teaching martial arts to the young Yoshitsune. Drawn c 1880. The British Museum has a complete preparatory sketch for this triptych. The drawing is […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
S Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing two beauties: One drying her hair, the other about to enter a mosquito net. Sumi on thin paper. 13 x 15.5 in., 33 x 40 cms. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large original drawing showing a beauty on a balcony. In the distance another figure on another balcony. Possibly a study for a painting. Sumi and red under-drawing on thin paper. 15.25 x 25.5 in., 38.5 x 65 cms. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original sumi drawing (hanshita-e) for an unpublished print for the set Tokaido gojusan tsui, “Fifty-three Parallels for the Tokaido Road.” The set was published by various publishers in 1845-6 and was a collaboration with Kunisada and Hiroshige. Sumi on thin paper. This is a design for […]
Tsukioka SETTEI (1710-1786)
Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Four original paintings on silk. An artist who developed a style somewhere between Moronobu and Sukenobu. Well known for his elegant erotica painted with great refinement. Sizes vary from 3.25 in; 5.5 cms. x 12.75 in; 32.5 cms. to 3.25 in; […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
Click here to view image full size. The ronin Yada Gorosaemon Suketake. A snow scene showing him facing an adversary with sword raised. From a fine set of twelve half length portraits of the forty-seven ronin: Seicho gishi shozo, “Portraits of Faithful Samurai of True Loyalty.” The depictions borrow strongly from western portraiture including imitation […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Awabe or tokobushi, abalone or “sea-ear” ( Haliotus tuberculata ) and sayori, Japanese half-beak or snioe-fish ( Hemirhamphus sayori ), Together with peach blossom. Poems by Kumogaki Fujimi and Miwagaki Mimiki. From the first series of ten plus one prints published by Eijudo c. 1832-34. The set was […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Kurodai, black sea bream ( Acantho pagus schlegeli ) and akadai, red bream ( Pagus tumifrons ) together with bamboo shoots and Japanese pepper. Poems by Tomigaki Uchiyasu and Kaoan Hoshi.. From the first series of ten plus one prints published by Eijudo c. 1832-34. The set was […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Ise-ebi, spiny lobster or crawfish ( family Panulirus ) and shiba-ebi, shrimps. Poems by Ryokujuen Motoari and Toshihiro Machikado. From the first series of ten plus one prints published by Eijudo c. 1832-34. The set was issued privately for a poetry group ( probably the Shingyoku Circle ) […]
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1798-1861)
Click here to view image full size. A Chinese brigand ( Shinwa-Yi ? ) hanging onto a rock in a fast-flowing river. Above and below him other submerged protagonists. From an early set: Tsuzoku sangokushi yeiyu no ichi-ni, “Popular Heroes of the History of the Three Kingdoms.” Published c. 1837 by Joshuya Kinzo. Extremely rare: […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large and important painting showing a view of the Sumida River through the piles of the Ryogoku Bridge. In the distance the ofunagura, “boat houses,” boats on the river and the Shogun’s official horses – goyouba – being taken out by samurai to the shoal outside the […]
Kono BAIREI (1844-1895)
Click here to view image full size. A fine painter of kacho-ga and landscapes. Born and lived in Kyoto. Studied under Raisho and Bunrin. Especially well known for his teaching: In 1878 he began to work towards the establishment of an art school that opened in 1880 as the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting. Contributed […]
Taki KATEI (1830-1904)
Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. A fine and decorative painted silk folding hand-fan by the Meiji artist Taki Katei. He lived in Tokyo and studied painting under Araki Kankai; also studied Chinese painting in Nagasaki. A fine kacho-ga painter. He contributed a lot to the medium […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Click here to view image full size. An important original painting showing a taro plant and balloon flowers. This statuesque plant is known as the village potato in Japan ( satoimo ) for its edible corms and “elephant ears” when grown ornamentally. Above is a poem by Ota Shokusanjin ( Ota Nampo ), a famous […]
Sugimura JIHEI (Fl. c. 1680-1698)
Click here to view image full size. The most prolific of Moronobu’s pupils and was originally confused with him, but now properly identified as a separate artist. Produced some of the finest erotic designs. A couple in flagrante beneath a sumptuous duvet. Published c. mid 1680’s. A large oban ( 11in; 27cms x 14.5in; 36.75cms […]
Kobayashi KIYOCHIKA (1847-1915)
Click here to view image full size. An extremely rare triptych: Sunshu Moho kokai chu no Fuji. Shows the paddle-steamer Daikokuya ploughing through the Sea of Miho, Suruga Province. The first rays of the sun hit the top of Mount Fuji. Kiyochika was an interesting artist: Although mainly self-taught, he also studied photography in Yokohama […]
Hosoda EISHI (1756-1829)
Click here to view image full size. A fine original painting by one of the best known Ukiyo-e artists. This high ranking individual produced some of the most refined prints during the late 1780s and the 1790s. He had many pupils including Eisho, Eiri and Eisui. Shows a standing beauty painted c. late 1790s. One […]
Hishikawa MOROSHIGE (active c. 1684-1695)
Click here to view image full size. A shunga print by the best of Moronobu’s direct pupils, who produced some of the finest designs in this genre. Shows a couple prior to coitus. Published c. mid 1680s. Very good impression. Very slight soil and weakening along laid lines, but otherwise very good condition. Unsigned. Status: […]
Hishikawa MOROSHIGE (active c. 1684-1695)
Click here to view image full size. A shunga print by the best of Moronobu’s direct pupils, who produced some of the finest designs in this genre. Shows a couple prior to coitus being approached by an attendant. Published c. mid 1680s. Very good impression. Very slight soil and weakening along laid lines, but otherwise […]
Hishikawa MOROSHIGE (active c. 1684-1695)
Click here to view image full size. A shunga print by the best of Moronobu’s direct pupils, who produced some of the finest designs in this genre. Shows a couple in flagrante aided by an attendant. Published c. mid 1680s. Very good impression. Very slight soil and weakening along laid lines, but otherwise very good […]
Hishikawa MOROSHIGE (active c. 1684-1695)
Click here to view image full size. A shunga print by the best of Moronobu’s direct pupils, who produced some of the finest designs in this genre. Shows a couple in flagrante, the huge duvet slipping off their bodies. Published c. mid 1680s. Very good impression. Very slight soil and weakening along laid lines, but […]
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
Click here to view image full size. MAY in romaji from a set of the twelve months, Junikagetsu no uchi, although this is the only known design for the set. One of Kyosai’s best designs. Shows Shoki, the “Demon Queller” riding a tiger and brandishing his two-edged sword at a group of terrified oni. Shoki […]
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. Soga no Goro galloping at high speed, whipping the steed with a bamboo branch. He races to the aid of his brother in Oiso. This famous story tells how the brothers avenged the death of their father Sukeyasu by Suketsune who was under the protection of the shogun […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Click here to view image full size. One of the most majestic landscape sets: Shokoku takimeguri, “Travelling Around the Waterfall Country.” A series of eight waterfalls, this being the Kiyo fall: Tokaido Sakanoshita, Kiyotaki Kannon, “The Kiyo Waterfall, Kannon Shrine at Sakanoshita on the Tokaido.” This fall descends in rivulets rather than a torrent. Shows […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
Click here to view image full size. A free-style painting showing a basket with vegetables and a kasago, spotted rock fish or scorpion fish ( Sebasticus marmoratus ); a Japanese half-beak or snipe fish ( Hemirhamphus sayori ); shiba-ebi, shrimp, and a fugu or pufferfish ( Sphoeroides ). Hiroshige II ( Shigenobu ) was the […]