A small drawing taken from an album of an old pine tree. Sumi and light colour on paper. Image size, 23.25 x 11 inches; 59 x 28 cms. Mounted as a painting. Very good condition. Signed Hiroshige.

Status: Available

An important painting: Nanadaime Danjuro sugata-e, “Portrait of Danjuro VII.” Painted at the end of the Bunka period ( c. 1815 ), it shows the young Danjuro after his succession. He wears the Danjuro mimasugoshi, Danjuro’s triple-plaid kimono pattern. His favourite tobacco pouch with the bat-shaped catch is hanging at his waist. He is looking at two butterflies. An allusion to the famous story of Zhuang Zhou who dreams of being a butterfly, only to wake and wonder if he is, in fact, not a butterfly dreaming of being Zhuang Zhou. The story symbolizing the evanescence of life. A similar painting of Nakamura Utaemon II dated 1812 is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acc. No. 11.7864. Full colour on silk. Image size 23.25 x 11 inches; 59 x 28 cms. Two repaired wormholes not affecting image, otherwise very good condition. Interesting old embroidered and hand-painted mount. Signed Utagawa Toyokuni ga with seals Ichiyosai and Toyokuni.

Status: Available

A fine and rare painting: Gunkaku zu, “A Flock of Cranes.” Hiroshige designed many fine kachoga during the 1830s through to the 1850s but there exist few paintings. This was a commissioned work from Hiroshige. The tancho ( “red crest” ) Japanese Crane, Grus japonensis, is the second rarest crane in the world, migrating to East Asia in the fall to spend the winter. There is also a resident flock in Hokkaido. Much loved by the Japanese, the crane was a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity. Full colour on silk, image size 34.5 x 15.75 inches; 88 x 40 cms. In perfect condition with a futo-maki ( thick wooden roll to preserve the painting from damage ). New box. Signed Ojyu ( “commissioned” work ) Ichiryusai hitsu. ( A rare form of the signature used c. Tenpo 10 to 11 [ around 1839 – 40 ]. ) The Ichiryusai seal is also a rare form used around mid Tenpo period.

Status: Available

Seitei ( Shotei ) specialised in kachoga; was famous in this area, and regarded as the leading exponent. Technically brilliant. A complete set of three paintings showing, right, Hana shobu, “ Iris Flower; centre, Matsu ni koi, “Pine Tree and Carp”; and left, Shobu, “Iris.” Each painting in full colour on silk, image size 47.5 x 20 inches; 120.75 x 51 cms. Signed Seitei. Fine condition. With original double box, signed and sealed.

Status: Available

An uncut fan print with title: Furyu yami no kaori, “A Refined Date in the Dark.” Shows a beauty holding a pipe and contemplating a dusky garden and her hidden lover. From a set published by Kojimaya Jubei, with date seal 3/1852.

Fine impression and colour. Small paper fibre on woman’s cheek, otherwise fine condition. Signed Konomi ni ujite ( “With my taste” ) Toyokuni ga.

Status: Available

A poem by the Lady of Ise which speaks of a love that has not been reciprocated. From Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki, the “Hundred Poems Explained by the Wet Nurse.” Published by Eijudo and Iseri, c.1835-6. Although obviously intended to be a set of 100 prints, only 27 are known plus drawings for others. The scene shows two ladies looking out over the rice fields to the Naniwa Inlet ( the ancient name for the region around Osaka ). The house is either being built or repaired with new tiles to the roof.

Exceptionally early impression with beautiful printing. This appears to be the earliest state with gradation on the roof bottom right and down from the top. Fine colour. Full size. Very slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Zen Hokusai manji.

Status: Available

An uncut fan print from a set of views in Ise: Ise meisho, Asakumayama toge no chamise, “Teahouses on the Mount Asakuma Pass, Famous Places of Ise Province.” Hiroshige used this view about a decade later for his oban tata-e set The 60-Odd Provinces. He cleverly uses the cliff sides to wrap around the uchiwa-e shape. Published c. 1840. Extremely rare. This actual impression illustrated in Hiroshige no uchiwa-e, Unsodo 2010, p. 78, pl. 108. Ex collection Maroni, seal at bottom.

Fine impression and colour. Centre fold, as often, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Available

A beauty powdering her face. From Kuniyoshi’s finest set of fan prints. An untitled series of at least eight designs showing young women in a state of dishabille at their toilette in front of mirrors, the corners partly concealed with cloth covers. Published c 1843-5 by Ibaya Sensaburo. For obvious reasons, uncut uchiwa-e are scarce. Indeed, there appears to be only one other impression of this design illustrated in an Exhibition of Ukiyo-e by Kuniyoshi, Riccar Art Museum, 1978, no. 172 and elsewhere ( from the Museum of Fine Arts, Bidwell Collection, Springfield USA ). The other known prints from this rare set are: 1) A beauty applying rouge to her lips; 2) A beauty shaving her forehead; 3) A beauty suckling a child; 4) A beauty adjusting her hair with scissors; 5) A beauty playing with a cat; 6) A beauty combing her hair; 7) A beauty about to brush her teeth.

Very good impression and colour. One small repaired wormhole, otherwise good condition. Uncut. The rich blue grounds on this series have added mica. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.

Status: Available

Toshiga yottemo wakai hitoda, “Although Made of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac, He Still Looks Young.” An extremely rare print: Another impression is illustrated in Juzo Suzuki, Kuniyoshi, 1992, no. 386. Kuniyoshi also designed a number of other such heads but composed of convoluted bodies in the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, three hundred years earlier. The head is composed using the Rat for the eyes; Ox: hair; Tiger: eyebrows; Hare/Rabbit: nose; Dragon: birthmark; Snake: mouth; Horse: ear; Goat/Sheep: character on costume; Cock: hair; Ape/Monkey: birthmark; Dog: head; Hog/Pig: crest on back made of tusks. Published by Ibaya Sensaburo, 1847-8.

Very good impression and colour. Some creasing,soil and minor marks. Slight trimming. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi giga.

Status: Available

Roba kiwan o mochisaru zu from Shinkei sanjurokkaisen, “New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts.” The best design from the set published by Sasaki Toyokichi, 1889. This famous story recounts how Watanabe no Tsuna cuts off the arm of the demon Ibaraki at the Rashomon Gate, Kyoto in 976. He secretes the arm away in a box. Subsequently he is visited by his wet-nurse ( or aunt – depending on which version you read ) who convinces him to show it to her. Instantly she snatches the arm and flies off revealing herself to be Ibaraki in disguise. The story became the famous no play Ibaraki. Ex John Stevenson collection.

Fine impression and colour. The first edition. Slight edge crease on left border, otherwise very good condition. Signed Yoshitoshi.

Status: Available