Special Selection - Limited Time - 20th Century Japanese Prints

In the late 19th century the Western world 'discovered' Ukiyo-e, a bright and lively style of Japanese art that soon became immensely popular in Europe and the Americas. Just as the west was falling in love with these beautiful prints, traditional woodblock print-making in Japan was suffering a decline. In 1915, Japanese art expert Arthur Davison Ficke declared the art of Ukiyo-e 'completely dead'. "It is idle to hope that real vitality will ever return to animate this lost art." However much this might have been true in 1915, within a decade of Ficke's prediction high quality woodblock printing was reintroduced by artists including Yoshida, Shinsui, Koson, Hasui, Goyo, and Kotondo. This generation incorporated a somewhat-Western style with traditional Japanese techniques, giving birth to the Shin Hanga, or "new prints". Shin Hanga artists returned to the same subjects that had moved the great Ukiyo-e pioneers such as Hiroshige, Hokusai and Utamaro: landscapes, beautiful women and nature studies. One of the defining, and finest, features of Shin Hanga is the highly refined printing techniques used, and Hiroshi Yoshida, in particular, built upon and improved the older techniques. Using dozens upon dozens of wood blocks, he created incredible subtleties of shadings and printing such as has not been seen before or since. All prints oban size (approx 10" X 16") unless otherwise noted. Oversized prints will be subject to an additional shipping charge, otherwise see conditions of sales.

Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) 105. Yoshikawa 1935 Signed: Yoshida Publisher: "Jizuri" (Self printed)) 1935 In pencil: 'YoshiKawa' + artist's signature Very good impression, colors and condition $900

Yoshitoshi Mori ( 1898-1992) 38. (Untitled) Cat and Mouse Musicians 1979 Signed and dated (in pencil) and numbered 9 out of edition of 70 Very good impression and colors. Stencil print. $750

Hodaka Yoshida (1926-1995)) 122. Image Signed (in pencil): 'Image'' + artist's signature and date 1956 Very good impression and colors. $ 175

Koson (1877-1945) 46. Nuthatch on Persimmon Branch Sealed: Koson Publishers: Daikokuya OTanzaku Very good impression, colors, and condition $sold

Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) 7. Kuchi-beni (Applying rouge) 1929 Series: 1st Series of Modern Beauties c 1930 Very good impression, colors, and condition. $3100

Koson (1877-1945) 47. Bird in Flight against Yellow Sky, Ivy Leaves above Signed: Koson Publisher: Daikokuya O-Tanzaku Very good impression, colors, and condition. Tape residue verso $300

Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950) 13. Hakkubasan 1926 Publisher: "Jizuri" (Self printed) Series: 12 Scenes of the Japanese Alps Very good early impression and colors. $4500

Ito Takashi (1894-1983) 59. Oirase in Spring 1949 Very good impression and colors. $450