Okumura MASANOBU (1686-1764)
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A design from a set of twelve prints Someiro no yama: Neya no hinagata, “Mountains of Dyed Colours: Patterns for the Bedroom.” A haiku poem relating to the time of year on each design. Published c 1740. Shows a couple in flagrante in a room with a free-standing screen and a view outside of an engawa and garden with a stone water cistern. One of the great Shunga sets with fine contemporary hand-colouring: The careful colouring on impressions from this set was obviously carried out by skilled artisans and is exceptional with the sumi screen being almost painterly: Colouring is often later on early shunga prints, and even if contemporary can be slipshod. Masanobu was a great innovator, developing new formats and technical advances. Unidentified collector’s seal bottom right. A beautiful design. Rare.
Very good impression and condition.
Status: Sold
The KANBUN MASTER (Fl. c. 1660-1673)
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A large, 11.5 x 16.75 in; 29.25 x 42.5 cms, sumi print showing a courtesan with her client. These are the earliest known ukiyo-e prints with no known book, painting or print being signed. The nomenclature was given by Dr. Richard Lane because the artist worked almost entirely during the Kanbun Period (1661-1673). There is some debate as to whether all the books and prints are by the same hand, rather than by several or more individuals. However, Dr. Lane – who was the pre-eminent authority on shunga – saw a consistency in the style of drawing. Extremely rare.
Very good impression. Some slight soil, but in remarkably good condition given the date.
Status: Sold
Sugimura JIHEI (Acitive c. 1681-1703)
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A shunga print showing a samurai (his swords lying outside the screen) having sexual intercourse with a courtesan from a set of twelve such prints published mid 1680s. Jihei was the most impressive of Moronobu’s followers and seems to have specialised in shunga, often surpassing Moronobu. (Indeed, Jihei’s work was attributed to Moronobu for a long time.) Hand coloured, although probably not from the period but still with considerable age. Extremely rare.
Fine impression. Very good condition.
Status: Sold
Suzuki HARUNOBU (1724-1770)
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A chuban shunga print showing a fisherman taking advantage of a young girl on a boat on the Sumida River. The couple are hidden behind a four-armed scoop-net called a yotsude-ami which was used to catch whitebait in the spring. The British Museum copy (OA+,O.125) gives the location as most probably being at Mitsumata, between Eitai and Shin’o bridges, based on what looks like Lord Tayasu’s residence in the background. Another impression is illustrated in Shunga, Marco Fagioli, Octavo, 1997, no. 23, p.45. Published late 1760s. Rare.
Very good impression. Some slight fading, otherwise good condition.
Status: Sold
Hishikawa MORONOBU (c. 1618-1694)
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The father of Ukiyo-e and the first to design single-sheet prints. Illustrated numerous books and produced a considerable number of paintings. A good proportion of his output was in the form of shunga. The print here is, arguably, from his finest shunga album. A set of 12 prints, although it is known in two versions with two alternative designs making a total of 14 sheets. For one complete set see Shunga The Art Of Love In Japan, Tom and Mary Evans, Paddington Press, 1975, Illus. 5.10-5,21. Rare.
Very good impression. Original hand-colouring. Minor marks and signs of mounting au verso, but otherwise very good condition.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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One sheet from a shunga set of 12 prints Ehon tsuhi no hinagata, “Patterns of Loving Couples.” Published 1814. The series title is a play on words. Tsuhi can be read as “couple” or “male and female pairs” or it can be pronounced tsubi, an old term for vulva.
Very good impression and colour. Slight soil and the usual slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition.
Status: Sold
Okumura MASANOBU (1686-1764)
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Shogatsu, “First Month” from a shunga set Someiro no yama neya no hinagata, “Mountains of Dyed Colours, Examples for the Bedroom.” Shows a New Year scene with the master of an opulent household enjoying the holiday with his wife and a young man of his fancy. The poem alludes to the pleasures of both male-male and male-female sex. Published c 1740. Others from the set are illustrated in Tim Clark, Shunga:Sex and Pleasure in Japanese Art, BM, 2013, pp. 147-151. Masanobu is one of the most important figures in Ukiyo-e being the proprietor of a shop but also a publisher, an illustrator of books, print publisher, painter, and inventor of the hashira-e and uki-e as well as being at the forefront of advancements in colour printing. Rare.
Fine impression. Hand colouring, slightly faded. Minor backed wormage, but otherwise very good condition given the date.
Status: Sold
Attributed to Torii KIYONOBU II (Active 1710s – 1760)
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A sumizuri-e abuna-e sheet from a shunga set published c. late 1710s. MFA has 10 sheets from the set , RES.09.310.1 to .10. They are based on designs by his father, Torii Kiyonobu I.
Fine impression. Fine hand-colouring. Backed (from a scroll), some light soil and minor creasing, all appropriate with date.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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One sheet from a shunga set of 12 prints Ehon tsuhi no hinagata, “Patterns of Loving Couples.” Published 1814. The series title is a play on words. Tsuhi can be read as “couple” or “male and female pairs” or it can be pronounced tsubi, an old term for vulva.
Very good impression and colour. Slight soil and the usual slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition.
Status: Sold
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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A pair of lovers from the set Keisei higo “The Secret Language of Courtesans.” This fine set of abuna-e (shunga prints that omit any explicit sex – quite literally “risky pictures”) was privately published c 1822-5. The pre-coital coupling is indicated by the wad of tissue slipped into her obi.
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. This set employs brass into the printing which is often the cause of the paper degrading and falling out. (Not evident here.) Unsigned as always.
Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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A complete set of six chuban prints (two-to-a-sheet) of Neko nezumi kassen, “The War of Cats and Mice.” Shows 1) Cats frightened by a toy dog. Below: A cat setting a mousetrap. 2) Cats tempted by a delicious smell. Below: Mice eating while a cat sleeps. 3) A cat with its head in a bag. Below: Mice attacked by cats. Of the utmost rarity: One other complete set in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (accession numbers 11.37779, 11.37780, 11.37781). An extremely early work published when Yoshitoshi was 20 and his first set. Published 1859 by Enshuya Hikobei. Provenance: Purchased from me in the early 1990s.
Superb impressions. Very fine colour. Album backing, otherwise fine condition. The best examples extant. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi gihitsu and Yoshitoshi giga.
Status: Sold
Katsukawa SHUN’EI (1762-1819)
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An hosoban portrait of the sumo wrestler Tanikaze Kajinosuke (1750-1795). Possibly the greatest sumo wrestler of all time. He made his debut in 1769 at the age of 19 and went on to record the longest run of 63 consecutive victories, a record that remained unbroken for 150 years. Officially recognised as the fourth yokuzuna and the first to be awarded the title in his lifetime. Published c. 1781. An uncommon subject in hosoban format. Rare.
Very good impression and colour. A small area of repaired wormage at the top, otherwise very good condition. Signed Shun’ei ga.
Status: Sold
Kitao SHIGEMASA (1739–1820)
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A chuban print showing three children. One ( centre ) playing a ko-tsuzumi; to the left a child playing a bamboo flute and on the right a small taiko being beaten. They wear aprons with images of a horse, monkey and cock. The Chinese zodiacal symbols. Possibly one of a set of four. Published c 1800. Ex collection Walter von Scheven, 1878 – 1950, and purchased by him at Altkunst, Berlin in 1929.
Superb impression: The outlines of the figures are heavily blind-printed. Very fine colour and condition. Unsigned.
Status: Sold
Shosai GINKO (FL. 1874-1897)
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A charming print showing a Japanese lady elegantly attired, western-style, standing beside a river with steamboats and foreign buildings in the background. She wears a full length coat, lace-trimmed, with colour-coordinated brolly, belt, cuffs and bow at the neck. On her head a stylish bonnet tied below the chin. From a set: Kokin meifu kagami, “A Mirror of Famous Women in Old and Modern Times.” This design shows Kosome, the daughter of Kuniya Sohei. During a boat trip around Japan in 1859 her vessel was hit by a storm and drifted until eventually arriving in Hawaii. Rescued by an American, she went on to study and become a teacher in America. The view behind her shown here obviously represents America.
Fine impression and colour with mica on the water. Light album backing and slight offsetting at top, otherwise good condition. Signed Shosai Ginko.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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Attempts by various means at making ghouls and demons fit into modern society from Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. Published by Sawamuraya Seikichi in 1874. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known. This design is particularly rare.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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A school for spooks from a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. Published by Sawamuraya Seikichi in 1874. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known. In 1874 a new system of education was introduced in Japan – even for the world of ghouls. Shoki is seen teaching the demons basic hellish terms, and the chief of the kappa instructs the ghouls on the Roman alphabet.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
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Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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The enlightenment of Paradise or liberation of the dead from Hell from a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. Published by Sawamuraya Seikichi in 1874. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known. The demons from Hell get new jobs as postmen, rikisha men etc.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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The enlightenment of Fudo Myoo – a Buddhist deity who is always depicted seated on a rock engulfed by flames. From a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. Published by Sawamuraya Seikichi in 1874. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known. This satirical image shows him reading a modern newspaper, his attendant Seitaka prepares meat and Kongara hangs a pot of stew in his flames. (Meat eating was being introduced.)
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Ikkansai EISHO (Fl. early 19th c.)
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A portrait of the wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro, ring name Kumagatake Inosuke. Eisho was a pupil of Eishi. Published c. 1820s by Uoya Eikichi.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Shunsai Eisho ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa YOSHIHARU (1828-1888)
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A triptych showing a large elephant being inspected, watered and fed by foreigners. Ikoku watari taizo no zu. “Picture of a Big Elephant Brought from Overseas.” Beside the title in a box are the details of the animal: Three years old this year (1868); length 6 metres 38 cms; length of nose 3 metres 4 cms; tall 3 metres 76 cms; weight 2800 me. Published by Yamaguchiya Tobei. Rare: Not in any of the standard Yokohama books.
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichibaisai Yoshiharu ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
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An original painting of the Sumida riverbank at Mimeguri, Toto ( Edo ). A full moon rises above a tori and is reflected in the river. Possibly originally from a makemono. Sumi and light colour on paper, 7.9 x 21.9 in; 20 x 55.5 cms. Sealed with a Ryusai seal used in his later years.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI ( 1797-1861 )
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A complete diptych showing the seven gods of good luck ( Shichi-fuku-ji ). Household divinities who supervised the wordly needs of man ( and woman ). The group are at the entrance of a temple and laugh at Fukurokuju’s ( the god of happiness and longevity ) discomfiture at hitting the large temple lantern with his head. Published 1847-48 by Soshuya Yohei of Nihombashi. Excessively rare: I cannot locate another impression.
Very fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi giga, “Drawn in fun.”
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI ( 1760-1849 )
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Shrike and wild strawberry from the so-called Small Flower series of ten chuban prints published c 1832. Amongst the most sought- after of Hokusai’s prints. The first edition ( as here ) was published by and has the seal Eijudo. A later edition has combined manji and kiwame seal ( and some are printed on thin Chinese-style paper ), and there are also impressions extant without any seals which probably constitute a third state. All impressions are rare and the first state excessively so. Indeed, these prints are considered even rarer than the larger bird and flower set Hokusai designed c 1833. The printing and colour on this set comes close to surimono quality. Each print has a Chinese poem written in hiragana.
Fine impression and colour. Minor soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Zen Hokusai Iitsu hitsu.
Status: Sold
Totoya HOKKEI ( 1780-1850 )
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A mounted sage followed by his servant crossing a bridge over a lake. One of an excessively rare chuban series with title Toshi gafu no uchi, “Drawing Album for Chinese Poems” printed in red, and sub-title Toshin denshi. Printed in tones of blue except for a light flush on the horizon. Another impression ( trimmed ) was in the Vever collection ( ex Hayashi ), Sotheby’s, Part III, lot 295. Other impressions ( damaged ) are in the BM, ref: 1937, 0710,0,229 and Honolulu Museum of Art, ref: 14466. Hokkei was one of Hokusai’s best pupils and designed many fine surimono. Unidentified publisher’s seal and censor’s seal in right margin ( trimmed off on the other impressions ).
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Hokkei.
Status: Sold
Ichieisai YOSHITSUYA ( 1822-1866 )
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A triptych with title Taiheiki Yakiyama-Goye no zue, “Picture of the Slope of Burning Mountain in the Taiheiki.” Sato Masakiyo ( = Kato Kiyomasa ), far left, and his men encountering a monstrous serpent surrounded by bats and flying goblins on a haunted mountain . Published by Kagaya Kichibei, 5/1861.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II ( 1826-1869 )
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Hiroshige II’s best print. Suo Iwakuni no Kintaibashi, “The Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni in Suo Province.” From Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Various Provinces.” Published by Uoya Heikichi 11/1859.
The rare first edition has a variegated sub-cartouche but this is still an extremely early impression with the green on the banks top right ( missing on later editions ); light blue on the water, and gradation and mica on the roofs at bottom. Fine colour. Small repaired binding holes in left margin, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Yashima GAKUTEI ( 1786-1864 )
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A surimono showing the Chinese warrior Huang Zhong ( Jap: Ko Chu, d. 220 AD ). Best known for his role in the novel Tale of the Three Kingdoms. He is shown wearing tiger skin breeches and armed with a large sword, bow and arrows. From a set Go koshogun, “The Five Tiger Generals.” Title on right Sono yon Ko Chu, “Nr 4 Huang Zhong. “ Issued by the Asakusagawa Poetry Club ( seal top left ) for the Tiger year 1818. Two poems by Shinsokutei Kashimaru ( right ) and Hogetsudo Yukitake ( left ).
Fine impression. Very good colour with extensive gold and silver. Very good condition. Signed Gakutei Harunobu.
Status: Sold
Yashima GAKUTEI ( 1786-1864 )
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A surimono showing the Chinese warrior Ma Chao ( Jap: Ba Cho, 176-222 AD ). Best known for his role in the novel Tale of the Three Kingdoms. He is shown leaning on a giant axe. From a set Go koshogun, “The Five Tiger Generals.” Title on right Sono go Ba Cho, “Nr 5 Ma Chao. “ Issued by the Asakusagawa Poetry Club ( seal top left ) for the Tiger year 1818. Two poems by Ki no Yoshito ( right ) and Sengetsudo ( left ).
Fine impression. Very good colour with extensive gold and silver. Very good condition. Signed Gakutei Harunobu.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
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Minakuchi, Station 51 from the Tokaido gojusantsugi, “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road.” The set published by Hoeido and Senkakudo, c 1833-4. Shows the village women, at left, peeling and drying gourds to make the famous kampyo.
Exceptionally early printing. Probably first edition. Fine colour. Very slight centre fold, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
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Toi Tama River in Settsu Province with a poem by Minamoto no Toshiyori from the series of six prints Shokoku Mutamagawa , “Six Jewel Rivers in the Provinces.” Shows women fulling cloth beneath a full moon. The set published by Maruya Kyushiro 11/1857.
Superb impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
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Noda Tama River in Mutsu Province with a poem by Noin from the series of six prints Shokoku Mutamagawa , “Six Jewel Rivers in the Provinces.” Shows a Heian beaty and attendant admiring the view. The set published by Maruya Kyushiro 11/1857.
Very fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE ( 1797-1858 )
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Fujieda, no. 23, from the so-called Reisho Tokaido because of the formal script used for the title. One of the best designs from the set. Travellers well covered against the rain traversing a path between fields.
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI ( 1760-1849 )
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A surimono showing two young girls making new year envelopes. On the side screen is a view of Fuji. Three poems above. Published c 1806.
Fine impression and colour. Small strengthened area au verso, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hokusai ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka SETTEI ( 1710-1786 )
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An original painting showing a beauty sitting on an engawa having picked flowers which she is placing in a wooden bucket beside her. Settei produced many illustrated books but after around 1765 turned towards painting beauties, courtesans and geishas. They are of the utmost refinement – the faces and limbs picked out in red, their costumes often having areas of gold, and invariably have the wide lantern-locks ( toro-bin ) hairstyle. Settei also excelled at shunga painting. Sumi and full colour with details picked out in gold on silk. 30.75 x 11.5 in; 78.1 x 29.2 cms. Minor creasing but otherwise very good condition. An elaborately embroidered mount. Painted c 1770. Signed Tsukioka Settei with seals Shinten’o and Tsukioka shi.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A triptych showing a comical battle between women in old-fashioned dress with various household utensils. Published 1852 by Muraya Seijiro. Rare.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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The lion falling in love from a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.”A satirical take on current events and mores. A design based on Aesop’s Fables which tells of a lion falling in love with a beautiful girl and asking her to marry him. Her bemused parents set a challenge for him: to have his claws removed and teeth filed. He duly submits only to have the parents then laugh and ask him to do his worst. Published 1874 by Sawamuraya Seikichi. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known.
Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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The enlightenment of Fudo Myoo – a Buddhist deity who is always depicted seated on a rock engulfed by flames. From a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. This satirical image shows him reading a modern newspaper, his attendant Seitaka prepares meat and Kongara hangs a pot of stew in his flames. (Meat eating was being introduced.) Published 1874 by Sawamuraya Seikichi. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known.
Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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The enlightenment of Paradise or liberation of the dead from Hell from a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. The demons from Hell get new jobs as postmen, rikisha men etc. Published 1874 by Sawamuraya Seikichi. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known.
Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831-1889)
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A school for spooks from a set Kyosai rakuga, “Kyosai’s Drawings for Pleasure.” A satirical take on current events and mores. In 1874 a new system of education was introduced in Japan – even for the world of ghouls. Shoki is seen teaching the demons basic hellish terms, and the chief of the kappa instructs the ghosts on the Roman alphabet. Published 1874 by Sawamuraya Seikichi. A set of 15 prints was planned but only 12 are known.
Fine impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Seisai Kyosai.
Status: Sold
Utagawa YOSHITSUNA (Active c. 1848-68)
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A triptych Asakusa Okuyama ikiningyo, “Living Dolls of Asakusa’s Okuyama.” These life-size figures were made from papier-mache with bamboo frames by Matsumoto Kisaburo from Kumamoto and were evidently amazingly life-like. The subjects were foreign strangers and Maruyama courtesans. The exhibition was in February 1855 in an area that had many sideshows. Kuniyoshi also produced prints of this and other exhibitions. Published by Murataya Ichigoro, 1855.Extremely rare.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Yoshitsuna ga.
Status: Sold