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Signed Woodblock Print by Kawanabe Kyōsai of Mount Fuji and Coastal Island

About the Item

This Kawanabe Kyōsai, Mount Fuji and Coastal Island woodblock watercolor is signed by Kyōsai using the signature meaning "enlightenment", indicating that this work was produced after 1871. This woodblock print is of Mount Fuji shrouded in mist with waves battering a nearby island in the foreground. I can see the impressions of the woodblock in the background, but the foreground island and waves look to be at least partially painted with a brush and ink. Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889) was a prolific Japanese painter and woodblock printer who started painting at the age of six. He had a flair for the macabre, and it is said that when he was still of school age, he found a severed head that he took home and used as a study for his painting. Shortly thereafter, Kyōsai was sent to study the ukiyo-e paining tradition under Utagawa Kuniyoshi. After spending a short time with Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Kyōsai received formal art education in the Kanō school under Maemura Tōwa where he received the moniker "The Painting Demon" or "Demon Painter". Kyōsai was so adept with his brush, he could create masterworks at a frenetic pace, even with a raucous audience and while heavily under the influence of alcohol. This practice was common for Kyōsai, especially while participating in painting parties or Shogakai. Kyōsai was also an unmatched caricaturist and often used wit and irreverence in his depictions of the political landscape of the time. Kyōsai's political satire would get him into trouble at times, landing him in jail on at least three different occasions. Literally translated, Kyōsai means Kyō "parodic" or "comic" and sai, "room" or "studio". Kyōsai was also known by the names Kawanabe Gyōsai‏, Kyosai, Kyosai Kawanabe, and Seisei Kyōsai. From March 19th to June 19th, a Royal Academy of Arts exhibit featured Kyōsai's work from the Isreal Goldman collection. See the following two references for more information about this important artist. 1. Clark, T. (1993). Demon of painting: The art of Kawanabe Kyōsai. London: Published for the Trustees of the British Museum by the British Museum Press, and 2. Harding, C. (2022, March 2). Kawanabe Kyōsai: The demon with a brush. Royal Acadamy of Arts (online). Background: I do not know the original purchase date of this print/paining, but it was professionally framed in 1963. The frame has since been broken, revealing the back of the background paper upon which the painting is glued. On the back of this paper is typed "$2.00 Kyosai". This paper was also stained at the bottom with what looks like spilled liquid. Regardless, the owners still chose to have the work professionally framed. Could it have been a commissioned piece for a tourist during one of the public painting parties? I don't know. In addition to the stain, you can see the wrinkling of the work across the top where it was glued to the background. It looks like this painting was rolled up because the background paper is creased where it may have been mishandled while it was rolled. I'm guessing it may have stayed in that state until it was found in the early 60s and professionally mounted in a frame. The frame is made of narrow, unadorned gilded wood and has been reglued in one corner. The paper backing will need to be replaced to secure the work in the frame, but otherwise the frame is fine.

Creator:

Kawanabe Kyosai (Artist)

Dimensions:

Height: 18.51 in (47 cm)Width: 10.63 in (27 cm)Depth: 0 in (0.01 mm)

Style:

Meiji (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Natural Fiber,Organic Material,Paint,Paper,Carved,Dyed,Embossed,Hand-Carved,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted,Painted,Polychromed,Woodwork

Place of Origin:

Japan

Period:

Late 19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 1885

Condition:

Repaired: One corner of the frame was reglued. The backing has not been secured but is secure for shipping. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.

Seller Location:

Nova Scotia, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU7091231487522

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