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 the moon, and Kagekiyo breaks prison. This is the sort of item that, if one were lucky, could be bought occasionally in Japan years ago, but which seems to have disappeared. It also reveals how good Kunichika could be. An artist who carried on the traditional woodblock form into the Meiji period. Sumi and full colour on paper, 6.5 x 7.75 inches; 16.6 x 19.8 cms. Some slight repaired wormage, otherwise good condition. Guaranteed at the end as by Kunichika by Eisai Fukunaga Kimiyoshi and dated Taisho 13 ( 1924 ) Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.

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 diaries he carried with him. ( See an example on this website in this section.) But before the hanshita-e was produced for the wood block. It’s interesting to compare with the finished print, which shows only minor differences and indicates how faithfully the hanshita-e draughtsmen followed Hiroshige’s design. Sumi and light blue wash on paper, 14.5 x 31 inches; 36.75 x 78.75 cms. Surprisingly good condition. Professionally laid around edge onto board. Signed Hiroshige hitsu with red indication for Ichiryusai seal. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.

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 at right side indicating changes to the size of the kanji characters. Good condition. Laid onto Japanese paper. Signed Ichiyosai Kunisato ga. Status: Sold

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 pencil and his best studies are usually in this form, on thick, light tan paper mixing hard and soft graphite. He first came to prominence with his illustrations for the famous Soseki novel I Am a Cat published in 1905. Sealed Goyo. Fine condition. Status: Sold

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 pencil and his best studies are usually in this form, on thick, light tan paper mixing hard and soft graphite. He first came to prominence with his illustrations for the famous Soseki novel I Am a Cat published in 1905. Sealed Goyo. Fine condition. Status: Sold

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 his best studies are usually in this form, on thick, light tan paper mixing hard and soft graphite. He first came to prominence with his illustrations for the famous Soseki novel I Am a Cat published in 1905. Sealed Goyo. Fine condition. Status: Sold

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 is buying a fish, while beside her a young mother cat is standing carrying a baby cat on her back. It’s well known that Kuniyoshi loved cats and there is an illustration in Kyosai gwadan ( 1887 ) showing his studio with Kuniyoshi surrounded by cats. Unsigned and sold “as is” with creases and stains. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.

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 by Kuniyoshi, there is a strong western influence in the depiction of the figures and landscape. See no.79, p.95 and nos.216-219, pages 195-197 in Heroes & Ghosts, Hotei publishing, 1998. Also no.107, p.134, Drawings by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Leiden Museum, Matthi Forrer, 1988 for another original sketch for one of the horizontal Filial Piety designs. Sumi and light colour; 14 x 10.5 in., 36 x 27 cms. Good condition: Lightly laid onto Japanese paper. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold

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 dated Showa kanoto tori, yayoi chuin Kimura Tosuke kan ( authenticated by Kimura Tosuke, 1981 ). Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.

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 Japanese Paintings and Drawings, volume 2, Lund Humphries, 1970, 146e, p. 273. Sumi on paper finely mounted as a kakemono, with box. Provenance: Catalogued by Jack Hillier and illustrated in the 1967 catalogue of Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., no 117. ( Interestingly, the item before which is illustrated on the facing page shows a large cartoon by Hokusai of the Sixteen Rakan with a dragon descending in the centre which is strikingly similar to this drawing. ) 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 onto Japanese paper, c 1840’s. Signed Kuniyoshi and Kuniyoshi ga. 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 Yoshitoshi, Toshihiko Isao, 1992, no. 98, p. 139. Sumi on thin tissue; size 13 x 9.25 inches. Status: Sold

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 Yoshitoshi, Toshihiko Isao, 1992, no. 98, p. 139. Sumi on thin tissue; size 13 x 9.25 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

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi, possibly for the set of 65 prints: Kadai hyakusenso, “Yoshitoshi’s Selection of One Hundred Warriors” published by Ohashi ( Daikyodo ) 1868 – 1869. A vigorous drawing showing a warrior struggling with an opponent in water, waves above. Sumi and red underdrawing on thin tissue; size 12.25 x 13.5 inches. Status: Sold

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi, possibly for the set of 65 prints: Kadai hyakusenso, “Yoshitoshi’s Selection of One Hundred Warriors” published by Ohashi ( Daikyodo ) 1868 – 1869. Shows a warrior holding a pole. Sumi and red underdrawing on thin tissue; size 13.5 x 9.75 inches. Status: Sold

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi for the set of 18 prints: Keisai Suikoden, “Biographies of Valiant Drunken Tigers” published by Masadaya 1874. Shows Komagine Hachibei holding a rifle, a downed opponent in the background. Sumi and red underdrawing on thin tissue laid onto a sheet of Japanese paper; size 13.75 x 9.5 inches. Sold together with an impression of the published print. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi for the set of 65 prints: Kaidai hyakusenso, “Yoshitosh’s Selection of One Hundred Warriors” published by Ohashi ( Daikyodo ) 1868 – 1869. Shows Negoro Hamitcha holding a rifle. Sumi and red underdrawing on thin tissue; size 13 x 9.25 inches. Sold together with an impression of the published print. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. Original preparatory drawing by Yoshitoshi for the set of 18 prints: Keisai suikoden, “Biographies of Valiant Drunken Tigers” published by Masadaya 1874. Shows Sumoto Sakyo downing an apponent. Sumi and red underdrawing with pentimenti. On thin tissue laid onto a sheet of Japanese paper. Sold together with an impression of the finished print. At least four other drawings are known for this set: 1) Catalogue of Japanese Prints and Drawings by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Herbert Egenolf, 1977, no. 38. 2) Yoshitoshi catalogue, Toshihiko Isao, 1992, no. 37-b. 3&4) Beauty & Violence, Havilland Press, 1992, no. 24.2 and D8. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. Original preparatory drawings by Yoshitoshi for the set of 65 prints: Kaidai hyakusenso, “Yoshitoshi’s Selection of One Hundred Warriors” published by Ohashi ( Daikyodo ) 1868-1869. Shows Sakuma Den’nai using a bamboo fence as a shield ( pub. 1869 ). A vigorous sumi drawing on thin tissue with another such drawing au verso with pentimenti ( for the same set ? ). Sold together with an impression of the finished print. Status: Sold  Click here to view image full size.  Click here to view image full size.

Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

 Click here to view image full size. An extremely fine original drawing for the set Kaidai hyakusenso, “One Hundred Aspects of Battle Chosen by Yoshitoshi.” ( Although – for whatever reason – this design was not published [ only sixty-five prints being known ]. ) A set of half-length portraits, mostly of modern soldiers and leaders drawn as historical figures of the medieval period in a semi-western style. The set published by Ohashi 7 The drawing in sumi and light colour has been restored and is in good condition and been re-laid onto Seichosen Koso Japanese paper, 14.75 in; 37.5 cms x 10.75 in; 27.25 cms. Sold “as is.” Status: Sold