Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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An aiban print showing the courtesan Segawa of the Matsubaya drinking ayamezake (a sake soaked with iris root) from a set Seiro gosekku, “Beauties of the Yoshiwara Compared to the Five Festivals.” In this case the Boys’ Festival held on the 5th May. Published by Iseya Soemon, c 1810.
Fine impression, very good colour and condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan fude.
Status: Available
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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An early complete 5-sheet (pentaptych) design being a mitate-e of a daimyo’s procession along Kugenuma beach with Enoshima island and Mt. Fuji in the background. Harugasumi hana iki retsu, “Journey in the Spring Mist.” The regional feudal lords (daimyo) were required every alternative year to travel to the capital of Edo. This was a deliberately costly affair and secured their loyalty as they had to leave their families in Edo. In this design young women replace the daimyo’s retinue. Published by Kawaguchiya Uhei, 1811-14. Its rare to find 5 or 6-sheet prints complete.
Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Available
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A surimono showing a game of rock-paper-scissors, although this might be a variant called Kitsune-ken, with fox-hunter-village chief. The game originates (as so much in Japan) from China and eventually made its way to the west. This was (and is) a dangerous game to play with ladies who entertained as they seldom lost. Published c 1820s. Eizan designed few surimono and this is rare.
Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A kakemono-e ( vertical diptych ) showing a tiger peering round a giant bamboo. Although Toyohiro and Toyokuni I produced kakemono-e during the 1800-1804 period, Eizan is generally identified with the format and published many during 1804-1817. The style used borrows from Korean paintings of tigers. No publisher’s seal, c.1804-1817. Another impression illustrated in Ukiyo-e no bi, nishiki-e no keifu, Yamaguchi Prefecture Municipal Museum, n.d., p.84/85.
Good impression. Very good colour and condition with the sheets separated to join accurately. Signed Kikukawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A fine kakemono of a standing beauty reading. The perfectly preserved colours on this print allow us to fully appreciate her elaborate garments.
Fine impression. Very fine colour. Fine condition. Full size. Signed Toshinobu Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A vertican oban diptych showing a courtesan holding a letter between her teeth. This, and biting a towel, were considered highly erotic and the prelude to intimate relations. Her obi, which has a design of a dragon amongst clouds, is printed with extensive mica added to the grey ground.
Fine impression and colour. Minor marks, otherwise fine condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1864)
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A triptych with title: Furyu nuno zarashi, “Elegant Drying Clothes.” Shows six beauties washing, pounding and fulling cloth in one of the Crystal rivers. A connotation to draw from the six figures would seem to indicate the Six Tama Rivers – a popular subject in Ukiyo-e. The public seemed particularly curious about these beauties who washed clothing in streams, as well as the women and girls, oharame, who went into Kyoto to sell firewood and charcoal, also awabi divers. Nunozarashi was also the name of a dance that involved streamers of cloth being swirled around. There was a history of painting the Tamagawa rivers going back to at least the mid 17th century, and it was also a popular subject for poets. These “crystal” rivers or streams were indeed clear and unpolluted at this time and there would have been an abundance of fish as well. Published by Izumiya Ichibei, c.1811-18. Rare.
Superb impression, colour and condition. On heavy de-luxe hosho. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A complete triptych showing young girls in attendance on a court couple. An early (c.1820) design published by Nishimuraya Yohachi.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Full size with extra paper for joining. Signed Eizan fude.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A triptych showing courtesans enjoying themselves on a balcony overlooking Tokyo bay. Furyu minami eki shiohi, “Fashionable South Station at Ebb Tide.” In fact, clam digging at low tide which can be seen in the background. This is a play on words as clams had erotic connotations. Shiohigari, “clam gathering” season is March to June with the peak coinciding with Golden Week at the end of April beginning of May. Published by Maruya Jinpachi, c. late 1810s.
Very fine impression and colour. Impeccable condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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The courtesan Biso of the Ogi House holding a brush up to a snow sculpture of Daruma. Snow from a Snow, Moon, Flowers set: Seiro bijin setsugekka. Published by Kawaguchiya Uhei, c late 1810s.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Fine condition: Full size with extra paper. Signed Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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Winter from a set Furyu bijin kodakara awase, “Elegant Beauties and Precious Children.” Shows a beauty carrying one child and looking down at another with a large snowball. Published by Matsumura Yahei, c late 1810s.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Fine condition: Full size with extra paper. Signed Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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The first sheet from one of Eizan’s most famous triptychs: Furyu yusuzumi san bijin, “Three Fashionable Beauties Cooling Off in the Evening.” Shows a teahouse waitress seated outside her establishment with silhouettes of customers showing on the shoji screen. Published by Yamadaya Shobei, c. 1814-17.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A triptych Furyu onna ryoushi, “Fashionable Fishing Women.” Shows beauties on the seashore collecting fish and loading them onto a boat for market. In the background, fishermen with nets. Published by Iwatoya Kisaburo (Eirindo), c 1817. The Japanese love seafood and, being surrounded by water, there is an abundance of fish and crustaceans as anyone who has visited the central fish market in Tokyo can attest to.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Small areas of expertly repaired wormholes, otherwise very good condition. Signed Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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An early Eizan published c. 1810s by Shimizu. Seiro Niwaka zensei ki, “Popular Entertainment at the Niwaka Festival.” Aizuga yanagi koshizuki, with a list of entertainers. This event during the 8th month of every year in the Edo Yoshiwara involved dancing and music and girls dressed – as here, lower right figure – as men.
Superb impression and colour’ Slight browning of the thick hosho and small nick out of top left edge, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A double bust portrait showing the courtesans Takigawa and Hanaogi from the Yoshiwara house Ogiya. An early print ( Eizan being 21 ) published 1808 by Kikakudo. Rare.
Fine impression. Fine, totally unfaded colour. Slight browning and light creasing. Full size. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A picnic party visiting the famous cherry tree at Naruko in the city, Miyako meibonku naruko no sakura. Poems are being written and attached to the branches. An extremely early design ( published 1807 ).
Fine impression. Very good colour. Some trimming around thereby loosing part of signature on two sheets. Signed Kikugawa Eizan fude.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A beauty ascending a staircase with a large black samisen case from a set: Furyu bijin soroi, a “Collection of Fashionable Beauties”. One of Eizan’s finest designs. Unidentified publisher.
Fine impression and colour on thick totally untrimmed deluxe hosho. Fine condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan fude
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A rare complete pentaptych showing a princess and her retinue on two boats being ferried across a river. Published c 1810’s by Izumiya Ichibei.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Kikugawa Eizan hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kikugawa EIZAN (1787-1867)
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A young beauty with child from a set Furyu kodakara rokkasen, “Six Poets in Modern Days with Darling Children”.
Very good impression on thick hosho. Very good colour and condition. Completely untrimmed. Signed Kikugawa Eizan fude.
Status: Sold