Posts by Richard Kruml:
Ichiyusai HIROSHIGE II (1829-1869)
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A bird above waves. A sumi koban print published 1852. These prints were obviously cheaply produced and are invariably poor impressions. Ex Hayashi collection.
Fine impression and condition. Signed Shigenobu ga.
Status: Sold
Takahashi SHOTEI (Hiroaki) (1871-1944)
Click here to view image full size. A black cat with a bell round its neck. A striking design published by Fusui Gabo, Tokyo, c1935. Fine impression and colour. Fine condition. The cat’s body is heavily lacquered and the two-tone background deliberately shows the baren marks. Signed Hiroaki. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Shimada, a grouper, and an ainame, greenling, together with red-berried nanten from the second series of fish prints published by Yamasho c1840-42. Numerous copies exist of the prints from these two series and one has to be particularly vigilant. Very good early impression before the Ichiryusai seal was […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A chu-tanzaku showing two geese flying against a full moon. Excessively rare: apparently unrecorded. Not illustrated in any standard reference work. Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Three hoso-tansaku (13.75 x 3 in; 35 x 7.6cm)kacho prints. Published by Matsumura Yahei c1830s. Excessively rare. Fine impression and colour. Several small repaired wormholes otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Utagawa YOSHIFUJI (1828-1887)
Click here to view image full size. An exceptionally rare print with inscription which reads: Koneko yoriatsumatte oya ni naru, “The kittens gather together and become a mother cat”. The cat’s body is formed by the convoluted forms of nineteen kittens, it’s eye is a cat’s bell and the whiskers are the spines of a […]
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
Click here to view image full size. A humorous print showing a cat holding aloft a rat by it’s tail, a sliver of moon above. Printed only in sumi and light brown. Rare: Illustrated in Kawanabe Kyosai, Shigeru Oikawa, The Tokyo Shimbun 1996, no.43, p.128 which gives publication as 1870s/1880s by Sawamuraya Seikichi. Very good […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Ai or ayu, river trout, (Plecoglossus altivelis) swimming in a stream from the first fish series published by Eijudo c1832-4. Probably the best design from the two series. (See also Paintings on this website for an original Hiroshige painting of this subject,) Very good impression, colour and condition. […]
Ikeda AYAOKA (active Kaei-Meiji periods)
Click here to view image full size. An untrimmed fan print showing a parody of the Yoshiwara, the courtesans and customers depicted as grasshoppers. Published c.1880’s. Fine impression and colour. Slight centre-fold, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ayaoka. Status: Sold
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (1777-1835)
Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing a tiger. A striking design published by Yamamotoya Heikichi c1820s. Fine early impression with gauffrage. Fine colour. Slight creasing and small edge repair, but otherwise very good, Full size. Signed Gosotei Toyokuni hitsu. Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. Koi (‘carp’) swimming beneath hanging wisteria. One of Yoshitoshi’s finest and most popular designs. Published 1889 by Akiyama Buemon. Very fine early impression, fine colour. Slight trimming at bottom otherwise very good condition. Ample margins for joining. Signed Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Ikeda EISEN (1790-1848)
Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing a carp ascending a waterfall. A notoriously difficult design to find without browning and there are many late impressions. Very good impression with careful gradation. Only minimal toning of paper. Minor creasing otherwise good colour and condition. Signed Keisai hitsu with large Keisai seal. […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Awabi and snipe-fish from Hiroshige’s first fish series published commercially by Eijudo around 1832-34. A rare design to find in early state. Kruml 6b (Andon 49). Very good impression and colour. Mica on shells. Full size; no centre fold. Signed Ichiryusai Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. An uchiwa-e ( fan print ) showing a young girl leaning over the side of a boat and wetting a towel. “Cool” from a set of six prints: Imayo rokkasen, “Six Modern Choises for Summer”. Published 2/1853. Unidentified publisher. Superb impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. […]
Onishi CHINNEN (1792-1851)
Click here to view image full size. An uncut uchiwa-e ( fan print ) showing a turtle swimming amongst water-lilies and minnows. Chinnen, one of the culminating artists of the Shijo movement, is best known for his illustrated books ( Azuma no teburi and Sonan gafu ) and his brush drawings and paintings. Apart from […]
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (1777-1835)
Click here to view image full size. A bust portrait of a beauty in the form of a fan from a series of the Six Tama Rivers, this being the Ide (or Hagi) no Tamagawa in Yamashiro. Published by Tsujiokaya Bunsuke with date seal 1823. Very fine impression and colour. Very faint centrefold. Signed Toyokuni […]
Katsukawa SHUN’EI (1769-1819)
Click here to view image full size. An aizuri-e fan print: Oji from Edo Hakkei. Apparently an unrecorded print. Very good impression and colour. Several repaired wormholes at bottom, otherwise good condition. Signed Shunei ga. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)
Click here to view image full size. Bust portraits of girls from a set of fan prints with title “A Parody of Six Elegant Selections”, comparing these beauties to inset view of blooms. Fine impression, colour and condition; untrimmed. Signed Kochoro Kunisada ga. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)
Click here to view image full size. Bust portraits of girls from a set of fan prints with title “A Parody of Six Elegant Selections”, comparing these beauties to inset view of blooms. Fine impression, colour and condition; untrimmed. Signed Kochoro Kunisada ga. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)
Click here to view image full size. Bust portraits of girls from a set of fan prints with title “A Parody of Six Elegant Selections”, comparing these beauties to inset view of blooms. Fine impression, colour and condition; untrimmed. Signed Kochoro Kunisada ga. Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)
Click here to view image full size. Bust portraits of girls from a set of fan prints with title “A Parody of Six Elegant Selections”, comparing these beauties to inset view of blooms. Fine impression, colour and condition; untrimmed. Signed Kochoro Kunisada ga. Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. A fan print showing a young girl holding a cat as reflected in a mirror. Of the utmost rarity. Published by Iba-ya Sensaburo. Fine impression, very good colour and condition. Mica on blue ground. Untrimmed. Signed Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Anonymous NAGASAKI-E
Click here to view image full size. A Chinese ship entering the harbour. A rare print published by Yamatoya c1810s. Other impressions illustrated in: Nagasaki Prints And Early Copperplates, Masanobu Hosono, pl.33, p.55 and A Collection Of Nagasaki Colour Prints And Paintings, H.N.Mody, pl.87. Very good impression, colour and condition. Status: Sold
Anonymous (c. early 1800’s)
Click here to view image full size. A bird’s-eye panorama of Nagasaki harbour. These views are the most remarkable of the Bunkindo productions demonstrating linear perspective and, when early impressions as here, showing the use of block and stencil printing. The only illustrated example I have catalogued is in the Tokyo National Museum illustrated in […]
Suzuki HARUNOBU (1724-1770)
Click here to view image full size. A fine chuban from a series parodying the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, this being Daikoku, the god of wealth, seen here attempting to stand on one of his straw bales of rice. The famous waitress Kasamori O-sen (1751-1827) stands holding a battledore on New Year’s Day while […]
Katsukawa SHUNKO (1743-1812)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing the actor Ichikawa Danjuro V in an unidentified role. Drawn c mid 1780s. Such drawings from this period are very rare. Indeed, any prior to the 1810s are rare. Ex collection Tanizaki Junichiro ( the major Japanese writer: Tade kuu mushi, “Some Prefer Nettles,” […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An extremely large and important drawing showing beauties on a restaurant verandah overlooking the Sumida river. A preparatory study for a painting which was either not executed or has been lost. Although an abbreviated version is illustrated in Ukiyoe Taikei, vol 11, no 67 which gives the location […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large and extremely important drawing. A detailed preparatory design for a well know painting. Shows a party beside a lake. This drawing also shows a back view of Hiroshige ( the seated figure with shaved head beneath the tree on the right ). Hiroshige is known to […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large and important preparatory drawing for a well know painting showing a full length beauty in a garden with autumn grasses. The finished painting is illustrated in Juzo Suzuki, Utagawa Hiroshige, 1970, no. 70 ( where it is dated to c.early 1850s ) and was exhibited in […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large and beautiful original drawing showing a full length beauty holding a fan. Sumi and red under-drawing on thin paper. 2 6.5 x 12 in., 68 x 31 cms. One of Hiroshige’s finest drawings. Status: Sold Click here to view image full size.
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large original drawing most probably for a lost painting. Shows beauties in a boat with a ferry full of passengers behind. Annotations for colour, etc. Sumi and red under-drawing on thin paper. 14 .5 x 22 in., 37.5 x 56 cms. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory sketch for a design from the set: Fifty-three Paired Stations on the Tokaido Highway A joint publication with Kunisada and Kuniyoshi published c 1845. This being Eijiri ( Station 19 ) and shows the pine Hagoromo-no Matsu on which an angel left her feather coat. […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An important large study for a well known painting. Shows a full length beauty on a bridge. The finished painting has a moon above and is illustrated in Ukiyo-e Nenkan, published 1973, p. 286. From the collection of Aoki Shinzaburo. Sumi and red under-drawing with pentimenti on thin […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A preparatory design for an unpublished ( ? ) triptych. Shows Genji ( ? ) watching figures on the bank of a river under a large willow tree. Other individuals in a boat. Some annotations for colour, etc. Sumi on thin paper. 14.25 x 30 in., 36 x […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large and important preparatory study for a well known painting showing Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyama Temple looking out to sea. The painting was in the Azabu Museum but was sold at Christies, NY, 27/10/1998, lot 110. It was illustrated in “Ukiyo-e Paintings in Japanese Collections, Azabu Museum, […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing for a published print for the set: Kokon joruri zukushi, “Collected Stories Past and Present.” Published by Sanoki, 1849-50. Shows the Barrier-Guardian Sekimori Sekibei and the Spirit of the Cherry Tree. Illustrated in Tsuneo Tamba, The Art of Hiroshige, 1965, no. 457. Sumi on […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing two beauties, one holding an umbrella, beside a river. This appears to be the first draft for the centre sheet of the famous snow scene: Beauties and Snow at the Sumida River, published by Marujin, 1848-9. Illustrated in Tsuneo Tamba, The Art of Hiroshige, […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. Two original chuban drawings for an unpublished ( ? ) set showing beauties in interiors Sumi and pentimenti on thin paper. 13 x 9 in., 33.5 x 23 cms. Bottom design fully signed. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a beauty with umbrella on the banks of a river. Most likely a sketch for one sheet of a triptych. Sumi on thin paper. 13 x 8.5 in., 33 x 22 cms. Fully signed Hiroshige hitsu and sealed three times bottom right. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a party coming over the summit of a ridge with hills in the distance. Most likely a design for one sheet of a triptych. ( It is very similar to the centre sheet of a triptych Bushu Sugita-no ume bayashi published by Sanoki, c […]