Posts by Richard Kruml:
Anonymous NAGASAKI-E
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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 […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing numerous female figures and children playing and collecting shellfish in an estuary. Most likely a design for a triptych. Sumi and pentimenti on thin paper. 14 x 12 in., 35 x 30 cms. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing for a print. Possibly an unused design for the set: Fifty-three Paired Stations on the Tokaido Highway. ( There is another study for the set in the collection. ) A joint set together with Kunisada and Kuniyoshi published c 1845. Shows porters and below […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a full length study of a woman reading a letter. This is a copy by Hiroshige of a study by another artist. Sumi on thin paper. 14 x 7.5 in., 36 x 19 cms. Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. A large original drawing showing beauties in a boat. The river flowing away to mountains in the distance. Two other boats in background. Three small studies at top. Sumi and light red under-drawing with pentimenti on thin paper. 26 x 19 in., 66 x 47 cms. Probably a […]
Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)
Click here to view image full size. A wonderful album of 12 spontaneous drawings to show his mastery of the usual gamut of subjects covered by ukiyoe artists: Shibaraku; The Wind God; Daikoku; Asahina; bijin sleeping; Daruma; Tametomo ?; Hotei; a monkey with it’s lead; a storm dragon; a peasant girl watching a cuckoo against […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An extremely important original drawing for his famous triptych: Buyo Kanazawa hassho yakei, Showing an Evening View of the Eight Famous Sites at Kanazawa in Musashi Province. The print published by Tsutaya, Ansei IV/7, 1857. This was presumably worked-up from sketches of the sort Hiroshige made in small […]
Utagawa KUNISATO (? – 1858)
Click here to view image full size. A fine oban drawing, sumi and light colour, showing the 11th scene of the Chushingura. The drawing is relatively finished and in the state to be submitted to the official censor. ( See Aratame plus date seal Tiger 4 [ 1854 ]. ) There are instructions in red […]
Hashiguchi GOYO (1880-1921)
Click here to view image full size. A fine drawing, pencil on thick paper, 16.75 x 11.5 in., 42.5 x 29 cms., c 1916-20, showing a seated nude ( the model Tomi ? ), her arm outstretched on a large towel. Although Goyo used sumi and brush to draw, he was particularly fond of the […]
Hashiguchi GOYO (1880-1921)
Click here to view image full size. A fine drawing, pencil on thick paper, 16.75 x 11.5 in., 42.5 x 29 cms., c 1916-20, showing a seated nude ( the model Tomi ? ), her arm outstretched on a large towel. Although Goyo used sumi and brush to draw, he was particularly fond of the […]
Hashiguchi GOYO (1880-1921)
Click here to view image full size. A fine drawing, pencil on thick paper, 15 x 11.5 in., 38 x 30 cms., c 1916-20, showing a nude side view of a young woman ( the model Tomi ? ). Although Goyo used sumi and brush to draw, he was particularly fond of the pencil and […]
Ichiyosai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. An extremely interesting and amusing preparatory drawing for an unpublished triptych showing cats queueing at a fish shop, probably for the first bonito of the year. Cats are shown serving the customers while other cats can be seen in the back of the shop. A young female cat […]
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. An extremely interesting original oban tate-e drawing, fully signed. A preparatory sketch for an unrecorded Nijushiko, “Twenty-four [ Chinese ] Paragons of Filial Piety” set. Shows Kakkio ( Kuo Chu ) and his wife unearthing a pot of gold. Like the other two published sets of Filial Piety […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing by Hokusai showing a Chinese brigand heaving aloft a large rock to stave off oncoming swords. Sumi on paper finely mounted as a kakemono; image size 14.50 x 10.75 ins. Box has inscription: “Chinese warrior from Suikoden painted by Katsushika Hokusai” and inside lid guarantee […]
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
Click here to view image full size. A large ( 33.75 x 15.75 ins. ) and important original drawing by Hokusai showing the Dragon of Handaka Sonja ( one of the sixteen Rakan ). This dragon is usually shown emanating from a bowl, sometimes with a rain cloud. For another see The Harari Collection of […]
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
Click here to view image full size. An original sumi drawing in chu-tanzaku format on thin tissue with pentimenti probably showing an azure-winged magpie amongst cherry blossom. An almost identical drawing by Hiroshige was in my catalogue 19, 1977, Birds in Japanese Prints, item no 27. Signed Hiroshige with Hiro seal. Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Kuniyoshi for an unpublished triptych showing the combat between Minazuru-hime, the daughter of Ki-ichi Hogen, and Kitashirakawa Tankai. The largest collection of such drawings is in the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden from the Lieftinck collection. Sumi and pentimenti on thin tissue laid […]
Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)
Click here to view image full size. A vigorous original preparatory drawing by Kunichika for an aiban shunga print. Sumi on thin tissue with extensive pentimenti ( giving an alternative position for the female ). Such shunga drawings are rare. Status: Sold
TOSHIAKI
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Toshiaki ( presumably a pupil of Yoshitoshi ) showing the Suikoden hero Rochishin. Sumi and red underdrawing with pentimenti, 13.5 x 9.5 inches. Signed Toshiaki. Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi showing a carp swimming amongst reeds. This may be an initial idea for the triptych showing carp swimming beneath wisteria ( see this website under Flora and Flora ). The only other koi print Yoshitoshi designed is a large surimono illustrated in […]
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. Another original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi showing a carp swimming amongst reeds. This may be an initial idea for the triptych showing carp swimming beneath wisteria ( see this website under Flora and Flora ). The only other koi print Yoshitoshi designed is a large surimono illustrated in […]
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi showing a battling tengu. Similar to the tengu figures on the triptych “Moon” from the set Snow, Moon and Flowers, published 2/1867. Sumi with pentimenti on thin tissue. Several small drawings au verso. Size 12 x 9 inches. Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi showing a grimacing figure having obviously just used his sword to slice through something. Sumi and red underdrawing on paper with a number of attempts with pentimenti, also au verso, to achieve a satisfactory head. Size 12 x 9 inches. Status: Sold