Edo Art

Kiyomizu Temple, Scenes of Famous Places along Tôkaidô Road - Woodblock on Paper Full Title: Kyoto: Kiyomizu Temple (Kyô Kiyomizudera), from the series Scenes of Famous Places along...

An image that originally appeared in an astrological calendar for the year 1766. Tokyo: Shuei-Sha, 1766. Woodblock print in colors printed on laid mulberry paper, 10 3/4 x 7 7/8 in...

"Various Himochi" Wagashi Festival Japanese Woodblock Print by Utagawa Toyokuni Rare oversized early 19th century 5-tiered woodblock by Utagawa Ichiyosai Toyokuni, (Japan, 1769-1825), a Japanese lord and wife oversee a sekku festival of food, music, and dolls or toys. '"oshi" is the first day of “Mi (Snake)” in the third month of the lunar calendar. This day, known in modern Japan as the Girls' Festival, originated in China as a form of purification ceremony in which water and drinking peach blossom wine were used to drive away evil. Many kinds of hishi-mochi appear in this picture of hina ningyo (dolls associated with Hinamatsuri, or the Girl’s Day) from Omochae. The custom of eating special dishes at events throughout the year and at milestones in people's lives has existed since ancient times. This paragraph specifically focuses on the annual event called sekku, and life events that involve eating sweets. Joshi is the first day of “Mi (Snake)” in the third month of the lunar calendar. This day, known in modern Japan as the Girls' Festival, originated in China as a form of purification ceremony in which water and drinking peach blossom wine were used to drive away evil. According to the Keiso saijiki, in ancient China, on the third day of the third lunar month, people ate “ryuzetsuhan,” which is the juice of gogyo (Jersey cudweed) mixed with rice flour and nectar. In Japan, there is a record in the Heian period history book Nihon Montoku tenno jitsuroku [839-5] that it was an annual event to make kusamochi using gogyo on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, which may have been influenced by Chinese customs. The tradition of eating kusamochi on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar continued after that. By the Edo period, however, hishimochi had come to be used as a sweet to serve on the third day of the third month. A picture of a hishimochi is included in the Morisada manko , which we mentioned in Part 1. According to it, hishimochi in the Edo period were often three layers of green-white-green instead of the now common red-white-green. However, it is possible to see from our collection that not all hishimochi were made in this way. Omochae published in 1857, is a good example. Omochae is a type of ukiyoe print...

Laughing Monks and Soldiers - Mid 19th Century Japanese Ink Drawing Lively ink drawing showing monks and soldiers laughing, jumping, and dancing. The monks stand in a group to the l...

Japan: circa 1770. Woodcut on cream laid paper, 7 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (182 x 63 mm), narrow margins. Laid down to non-archival board with scattered soiling and some adhesive staining...

Shichirigahama, Sagami Province. A beauty in the foreground waves to her young companions, who run towards her on the beach. The beauty at left wears a western-style golden ring. We ...

One Hundred Prints Of The Noh - 1925 Original Japanese Woodblock Print Original Japanese woodblock print by Tsukioka Kogyo (Japanese, 1869...

A scene from a vanishing Japan. Two Women Playing Sugoroku from "Comparison of the Customs of Beauties."; The Customs and Manners of Women Japan: Matsuki Heikichi, 1891. Woodblock ...

Woodcut on cream laid paper, 7 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (182 x 63 mm), narrow margins. Laid down to non-archival board with scattered soiling and some adhesive staining. Okumura Masanobu (Japanese 1686 – 13 March 1764) was a Japanese print designer, book publisher, and painter. He also illustrated novelettes and in his early years wrote some fiction. At first his work adhered to the Torii school, but later drifted beyond that. He is a figure in the formative era of ukiyo-e doing early works on actors and bijin-ga ("pictures of beautiful women"). While Masanobu's early life is largely undocumented, he is believed to have been born about 1686, possibly in Edo (modern Tokyo). Edo was a small fishing village when Tokugawa Ieyasu chose it as his administrative capital of the Tokugawa shogunate, and by the early 17th century the city had prospered and its population had grown to half a million. Masanobu appears to have been self-taught painter (though he did study poetry under Tachiba Fukaku); he is not known to have belonged to any artistic school. His early work shows the influence of the Torii school of ukiyo-e painting...

"Ichimura Hazaemon as Hatsuyumeya Mitsujiro" is a woodcut print by Toyoharu Kunichika in red, blue, and black. 14" x 9 1/2" art 20 3/4" x 16 3/4" framed From the series “First Per...

Japanese Artisans - Japanese Woodblock Print J Japanese woodblock depicting six women, all wearing vibrant kimonos, working on crafts by Tosa Mitsuoki (Japanese, 1617-1691). Japanese,c. 1600. Handcraft depiction (dye works).Section from a painted screen with presentations of handcraft.Kita-in, Saitama. Stamped lower left. Presented in a white mat and giltwood frame. Frame: 19"H x 14"W Mat: 18.25"H x 13.25"W Image: 14.5"H x 9.5"W Tosa Mitsuoki was a Japanese painter, reinvigorating the Yamato style of classical Japanese painting. Yamato-e originated from interest in reproducing early Tang dynasty paintings, and was later reinvented and further refined to fit Japanese cultural perceptions in the late Heian period. Yamato, sometimes referred to as wa or kazu had become synonymous with the Tosa-ha by the Muromachi period as a way for Japanese artist to distinguish their works from those of mainland Chinese paintings, kara-e. Yamato-e incorporated various visual and literary techniques for establishing narrative. Works were not always accompanied with text and may rely on heavily on period specific visual motifs, icons, and symbols to relay a story or theme. Tosa style by the time of Mitsuoki focused heavily on depicting themes of plants and nature, famous places, meisho, the four seasons, shik, bird-and-flower, kacho. Many of these popular symbols and icons from mimicking Chinese practices, treating the original Chinese masterwork as a sort of prototype to improve upon. Popular formats for Mitsuoki's pictures were wall scrolls kakemono, or handscrolls that would be read from right to left with the accompanied story, sliding doors fusuma and folding screen panels byobu that featured up to six panels. Mitsuoki's style incorporated the depth and calligraphy techniques of ink wash brushwork similar to Song dynasty and Yuan dynasty Chinese court paintings...

Page Size: 14.5 x 10 in. Frame Size: 22.5 x 15.5 in. The Large Peepshow (Ô-karakuri), from the series Fashionable Comparisons of Precious Children (Fûryû kodakara awase) 哥麿 筆 painte...

Actor as Samurai - 18th Century Japanese Woodblock Print Woodblock print depicting an actor, possibly Nakamura Denkuro II, as a samurai. The actor stands with his sword unsheathed a...

No. 45, View of Akasaka from "Comical Views of Famous Places in Edo" Woodblock Whimsical woodblock print by Utagawa Hirokage (Japanese, active 1855–1865). Four people are sitting on...

Sumiyoshi: Dengaku dance performed during an Onda ceremony - Woodblock Print Bright woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797-1858). In this scene, two dancers with swords and fans are facing each other, in the center of a courtyard. There are spectators surrounding them, including nobles in black clothing on a balcony. Presented in a new off-white mat with foamcore backing. Mat size: 16"H x 20"W Paper size: 9.63"H x 14.5W" Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858, sometimes called Ando Hiroshige) was the second of the two great masters of the Japanese landscape woodblock print...

Mitate of a Daimyo's Procession Crossing Ryogoku Bridge - Woodblock Print Woodblock print of a procession by Keisai Eisen (Japanese, 1790–1848). Terrific triptych of a procession of...

Kabuki Actor in Water Lily Robe with Samurai Sword- Japanese Woodblock Print Finely detailed woodblock by Utagawa Toyokuni (Japanese, 1769-1825). A kabuki actor ("Master Haranyuki Sawamura") is standing on stage with mountainous backdrop, wearing a robe in a water lily pattern. He is wearing a samurai sword. Presented in a gold colored frame with a silk mat. Frame size: 20"H x 14.25"W Image size: 14"H x 9"W Utagawa Toyokuni (Japanese, 1769-1825) was born in Edo, the son of Kurahashi Gorobei, a carver of dolls and puppets...

"Candy Seller" (飴売りうずまつ 市村羽左衛門) Japanese Woodblock on Rice Paper This piece depicts Ichimura Uzaemon as the Candy Peddler Uzumatsu. He is playing a stringed instrument (the shamisen) to attract people to come buy canbdy. The spiral on his clothing is the symbol of the candy seller, along with his crest of the mandarin orange. This Utagawa Yoshiiku print, titled "Umegoyomi mitate hachi shojin" (梅暦見立八笑人), depicts a scene from the Edo period. The print features a prominent male figure playing a shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument. The text on the print is in Japanese, and the overall style is characteristic of Ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints. Utagawa Yoshiiku was a significant artist of the Meiji era, known for his contributions to woodblock printmaking. He was a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and worked alongside Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. His works often portray historical events, scenes from Kabuki plays, and contemporary life. This print, in particular, showcases the artist's skill in capturing the details of clothing, facial expressions, and the musical instrument. Presented in a new blue mat with foam core backing. Mat size: 18"H x 14"W Paper size: 16"H x 12"W Born the son of teahouse proprietor Asakusa Tamichi in 1833, Utagawa Yoshiiku (also known as Ochiai Yoshiiku) became a student of ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi toward the end of the 1840s. His earliest known work dates to 1852 when he provided the backgrounds to some actor prints by his master. Yoshiiku's earliest works were portraits of actors (yakusha-e), beauties (bijin-ga), and warriors (musha-e). He later followed Kuniyoshi into making satirical and humorous pieces, and became the leading name in the field after Kuniyosh's death in 1861. He illustrated the Tokyo Nichi Nichi...

Deutzia Flowers: The Wife of Kasamori - Original Woodblock Print Deutzia Flowers: The Wife of Kasamori, from the Series "Beauties of the Floating World Associated with Flowers" by S...

Procession Of A Daimyo - Original Woodblock Print Original woodblock print depicting the procession of a Daimyo. Ten Japanese soldiers are seen as they aid in transporting the Daimy...

Japanese Parade - Woodblock Print Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyasu (歌川 国安) (Japan, 1794–1832). Japanese women, dressed in blue and red kimonos, are the focal point. A vi...

Three women in the Saruwaka-machi District with a view of Kinryûzan Temple seen from the famous landmark Matsuchiyama. The woodblock print is from the series "Famous Places in Edo". ...

Japanese woodblock print of a woman kneeling by the river. She is holding a stick making it appear like she is fishing with it. The woodblock print is printed on rice paper. The print is not framed. Artist Biography: Utagawa Kuniyasu...

Actor Arashi Rikan II as Aburaya Yohei - Figurative Woodblock Print on Paper Woodblock print of kabuki actor by Shunbaisai Hokuei (Japanes...

Signed: Harunobu ga Series: Series: Eight Fashionable Parlor Views (Furyu zashiki hakkei)? Format Japanese: chuban Provenance: Private Collection, Philadelphia Collection of McCleaf ...

A beauty turns to admire the Kirifuri Waterfall in Nikko Province. She holds the handle of an umbrella and wears fashionable clothing that is beautifully printed. This series pairs f...

Page Size: 20 x 9.25 Frame Size: 28 x 14.25 This exquisite woodblock print by Ishikawa Toyonobu, a prominent master of the Edo period, is a quintessential example of ukiyo-e artistr...

Umewaka Shrine, from an untitled series of prints depicting Tokyo. A woman braces her umbrella against the rain and a man waits out the storm next to his jinriksha in this view of th...

Two kabuki actors posing a samurai's. The print is printed on rice paper and is not framed. It is stamped by the artist with details about the actors in ...

Sumi ink drawing, c. 1928 Signed in the lower right corner (see detail) Original illustration for the novel "Gunmo" (Hoi Polloi or Blind and Foolish Masses), volume 4 in the "Complete Works of Burafu Nakamura." Nakamura, a popular Japanese novelist and playwright, lived from 1886-1949. Framed in acid free rag matting, OP3 Acrylic and a rounded corner metal leaf frame Sight size: 6-3/4 x 5-3/8" Frame size: 14-5/8 x 12-5/8 x 3/4" Shinsui Itō...

Edo Meisho woodblock print of a famous Japanese coastal dock. This woodblock is most likely apart of the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo." The woodblock print is printed on r...

Beijing-ga Series XXX (nº 30) Title: “Takashimaohisa” Ohisa, along with Okita and Tomimoto Toyohina, were the three most famous beauties of the time. The first two were waitresses...

This folding screen is a stunning example of Japanese artistry. Beautifully painted with delicate brushwork, the evocative screen depicts a lively festival during the Edo period (1615–1912). The raucous scene is full of life; within the dense crowd, you can make out people dancing...

Three Beauties under a maple tree from the series "A Contest of Fashionable Beauties of the Gay Quarters". The woodblock print is printed on rice paper....

SNOW, MOON AND FLOWERS OF THE ÔGIYA TEA HOUSE Head and shoulders portrait of a beautiful courtesan of the Ôgiya Tea House. With an attentive gesture, she brings her left hand behind her ear with delicate wrist and finger motion. This image is part of the bijin-ga series, “Pretty women”, drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print “Snow, moon and flowers from the Ôgiya Tea House” (1793-1795). The tittle is a Japanese topic in art and design originating from a poem by Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi. It became popular in the late Edo used to describe serene beauty. The artist reproduces the seal of the censor (Kiwame) and from the original publisher (Tsutaya, climbing leaf)), as it appears in the woodblock print used as a model; between the two, the signature of Mario BGil written in Japanese, with the date 14 (2014). The mesaurements of the drawing are 76 x 56 cm., with a painted surface of 67 x 49,5 cm. (the woodblock print is 36,2 x 25,9 cm.). With his work on the bijing-ga series, Mario BGil wanted to embellish, give brilliance and volume to the images presented by japanese artist Kitigawa Utamaro in those beautiful engravings, ennobled with the patina of time, which have served as inspiration. The result obtained is almost life-size portraits, endowed with strong chromaticism and valuable contrasts, all enhanced, in turn, with the volume provided by the weight and rigidity of the paper, and its thick texture (Fabriano Artistico “grana grosso”, 640g/m2; the thickness and hardness of the paper makes it necessary to transport it without rolling). In this way, Mario BGil pays tribute to his admired artist and offers us a new and enriched vision of this popular facet of oriental art from the 18th and 19th centuries. ABOUT THE ARTIST Mario BGil is a self-taught artist who for years has combined his creative activity with his work in the family business, away from commercial art galleries. In 2012, a deep interest in oriental art was awakened in him and he began to study the great masters of Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, who had such an influence on the European avant-garde of the late XIX century. The discovery of Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), a key figure in the metropolitan culture of Edo (now Tokyo), and a point of reference in the history of Japanese engraving...

Hanazuma, a beautiful high-class courtesan of the Hyôgaya House, appears sitting sideways on her legs, twisting a letter between her hands at the height of her heart. It is perhaps its message that makes her throw her head back with a beautiful turn of her entire body allowing us to contemplate the frontal details of her kimono and her obi, in green and orange, with beautiful ornaments. This image is part of the “bijin-ga” series (Pretty women) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print “Hanazuma of the Hyôgaya House”, (1794), 38,8 x 25,9 cm. The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum. Matsumoto, Japan. The artist reproduces the seal of the censor (Kiwame) and from the original publisher (“Tsutaya”, climbing leaf)), between the two, the signature of Mario BGil written in Japanese, with the date 14 (2014). The mesaurements of the drawing are 76 x 56 cm. (29,92 x 22,05 in.), with a painted surface of 67 x 49,5 cm. With his work on the bijing-ga series, Mario BGil wanted to embellish, give brilliance and volume to the images presented by japanese artist Kitigawa Utamaro in those beautiful engravings, ennobled with the patina of time, which have served as inspiration. The result obtained is almost life-size portraits, endowed with strong chromaticism and valuable contrasts, all enhanced, in turn, with the volume provided by the weight and rigidity of the paper, and its thick texture (Fabriano Artistico “grana grosso”, 640g/m2; the thickness and hardness of the paper makes it necessary to transport it without rolling). In this way, Mario BGil pays tribute to his admired artist and offers us a new and enriched vision of this popular facet of oriental art from the 18th and 19th centuries. ABOUT THE ARTIST Mario BGil is a self-taught artist who for years has combined his creative activity with his work in the business world, away from commercial art galleries. Man of very diverse interests and great artistic sensitivity, studied Art History and in 2012, a deep interest in oriental art was awakened in him so that he began to study the great masters of Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, who had such an influence on the European avant-garde of the late 19th century. The discovery of Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), a key figure in the metropolitan culture of Edo (now Tokyo), and a point of reference in the history of Japanese engraving...

Important pair of Japanese bronze birds in the form of geese masterfully crafted. One with a closed beak the other open, both with quirky expressi...

Bijin-ga series XXV (Nº 25) Title: SOMENOSUKE OF THE MATSUBAYA Somenosuke of house Matsubaya, known as a youthful courtesan who quickly rose through the ranks of popularity is shown producing a concealed letter, glancing about to confirm she is indeed alone. The highlights of the drawing are the fine carving of the courtesan´s hair-line and the fine dress; an elegant kimono with vivid colors and intricate dessing. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

“Hitomoto of The Daimonjiya in Kyô-Machi Itchôme” Hitomoto holds a bouquet of flowers looking to her left, with a surprised face, and with her mouth aj...

BIJIN-GA SERIES XVIII (Nº 18) Title: Obvious Love (Arawaruru Koi) This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print Obvious Love (Arawaruru Koi) (1793-94); 38,8 x 26,2 cm.. Art Institute Chicago, USA. A sensual woman seems to care little that her kimono is open, exposing a breast. Her hair is in disarray , the hairpin at the front about to fall and she holds one of the hairpins in her left hand. She appears to be looking down outside the frame of the picture, perhaps in mid-conversation. The term “arawaruru” refers to a love so wholehearted that it expresses itself in the lover´s face and mannerisms. In the 1780's and 90's the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo and the designer Kitagawa Utamaro worked together on the production of many woodblock prints, most of them of the bijin-ga type. One of their most popular productions was a set of images that purported to depict psychological classifications of women - 'fickle', 'interesting', etc.. Perhaps in response to this success, they then came up with something similar - a set of prints...

Bijin-ga series XXI (Nº 21) Title: The courtese Hinakoto of the Hyôgorô House of Edo The courtesan Hinakoto is depicted by smoking tobacco. She takes the pipe delicately in her left hand and, in her right hand, she seems to be holding a “uchiwa” (rigid hand fan) that comes out from the bottom of the drawing, decorated with written calligraphy. Some strands of hair that fall on her temple and her scant clothing show that the painter has surprised her in a relaxed moment in which she does not lose her elegance and slenderness. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

Bijing-ga Series XXII (Nº 22) Title: THE FLICKLE TYPE Upper half of the body of a woman in yukata (summer kymono) with part of her chest bare. Depicted just after a bath, she is turning her head and drying her hands with the towel hang on her shoulder. Her just-washed hair is tied around an ornate hairpin, the hair style called bai-mage (spiral-shell chignon). The unkempt hair of the nape and the movement of the hands one on the other are clear examples of Utamaro's mastery, who had an exceptionally observant eye for women. The Fickle ( or Fancy-free) Type is flirting with more than one member of the opposite sex This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print...

WOMAN READING A LETTER Three-quarter portrait of an Edo period Japanese courtesan caught reading a letter. Her clothing is simple: an inner pink kimono peeks out from the collar and short sleeves of the outer gray kimono with black trim. The note of color is provided by the obi tied at the waist at the front, the ribbon around the bow and the light turquoise background. This image is part of the bijin-ga series (“Pretty women”) drawn by Mario BGil, based in the Kitigawa Utamaro woodblock print “Woman reding a letter” (1792-17993). The artist reproduces also the seal of the censor (Kiwame) and the original publisher's seal (Tsutaya, climbing leaf), as it appears in the woodblock print used as a model; between the two, the signature of Mario BGil written in Japanese, with the date 14 (2014). The measurements of the woodblock print are 37,2 x 24,5 cm., the drawing made by Mario BGil is 76 x 56 cm. / 29,92 x 22.05 in. With his work on the bijing-ga series, Mario BGil wanted to embellish, give brilliance and volume to the images presented by japanese artist Kitigawa Utamaro in those beautiful engravings, ennobled with the patina of time, which have served as inspiration. The result obtained is almost life-size portraits, endowed with strong chromaticism and valuable contrasts, all enhanced, in turn, with the volume provided by the weight and rigidity of the paper, and its thick texture (Fabriano Artistico “grana grosso”, 640g/m2); the thickness and hardness of the paper makes it necessary to transport it without rolling). In this way, Mario BGil pays tribute to his admired artist and offers us a new and enriched vision of this popular facet of oriental art from the 18th and 19th centuries. ABOUT THE ARTIST Mario BGil is a self-taught artist who for years has combined his creative activity with his work in the family business, away from commercial art galleries. In 2012, a deep interest in oriental art was awakened in him and he began to study the great masters of Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, who had such an influence on the European avant-garde of the late s...

A Japanese embroidery from the Edo Period. “Figure of a Beauty” is a portrait embroidery, silk and gold thread in golds and grays. Provenance: Priv...

Attributed to Ukita Ikkei (1795-1859) Hanging scroll painting of the American ship commanded by Commodore Matthew Perry in Uraga Bay, annotate...