NINE STAGES OF A DECOMPOSING BODY

"Even the beautiful looking thing, once dead, will decay and become hideous." - Buddhist woodblock print in nine scenes that addresses worldly desires, as the process of a beautiful woman dying, her body discarded in the open, and gradually returning to the earth. Meiji period, (1868-1912) Japan. 42.5 x 84.5 cm (16.73 x 33.26in)...

Rarely encountered oversized Japanese woodblock print of an abstract landscape scene by Toshi Yoshida (1911-1995) pencil-titled "Unknown" (Michi no) in the bottom margin. Pencil-signed, dated 1968, and numbered 108/150. Paper size: 17 7/8" x 24" (image: 15 11/16" x 22 1/4"). Good overall condition with no tape or tape stains on the back. The print is slightly toned and soiled. There is foxing on the back that shows through slightly on the front in the background sky areas and margins.

Artist not identified.
Fete on Water with Sarugaku Theatre Entertainment
This Japanese print may be from the April 4, 1919 edition of 'Kokka' Magazine"
The magazine produced what are called chromoxylographs, which may be the medium here. This lively scene features embossing throughout.
Size: 14 x 9 inches.
Condition: Very good. What may appear to be a crack descending from the top and brown marks in the water are actually reproduced from the source artwork.

Oversized limited edition sosaku hanga woodblock print by Clifton Karhu (1927-2007) titled "Kamigamo Gate" dated 1973. Pencil-signed, dated, titled, and numbered 70/80 in the bottom margin. The original purchase price of 15,000 yen is in pencil at the lower right margin edge. Paper size: 18 1/4" x 18" (image: 16" x 16"). Very good overall condition. The print is slightly sunstruck and there is mat burn evident in the margin...

Oversized limited edition sosaku hanga woodblock print by Clifton Karhu (1927-2007) titled Kiyomizu II dated 1969. The print colorfully illustrates the architectural details of the Kiyomizu Temple. This artist's proof is pencil-signed, dated, and titled in the bottom margin. Paper size: 28" x 24 1/4" (image: 26 1/2" x 23"). Very good color and overall condition...

Japanese Meiji period shikishiban format kacho-e woodblock print depicting a bird of prey catching a smaller bird by Tsukioka Kogyo (1869-1927) published by Daikokuya (Matsuya Heikichi) circa 1900-1910. The artist's black ink signature and red seal is at the lower left. Paper: 9 1/16" x 9 3/8". Very good overall condition and color with a few distressed fibers at the upper section.

Japanese Meiji period shikishiban format kacho-e woodblock print titled "Bird on Rock" by Tsukioka Kogyo (1869-1927) published by Daikokuya (Matsuya Heikichi) circa 1900-1910. The artist's black ink signature and red seal is at the lower right. Paper: 9 5/16" x 9 13/16". Very good color and overall condition with only minor soiling evident.

Pencil-signed Japanese shin hanga woodblock print by Toshi Yoshida (1911-1995) titled in kanji and English "Plum Tree and Blue Magpie" and dated in the left margin 1951. The artist's Yoshida seal is at the lower right with the pencil-signature below. Paper size: 10 3/4" x 15 7/8" (image: 9 5/8" x 14 5/8"). Good overall condition. The print appears to have been previously framed and there is toning evident in the margin areas and reverse...

Artist: Not read.
Title: Evening Moon at Kiyomizu Temple 清水寺の夕月
Size: Oban. 15 x 10 inches.
Date: Early to mid-century.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Left margin tears. Creasing at upper right and lower left corners. Toned edges.
The design is very shin hanga.
In the left margin, we have the title, followed by a banner seal that reads "Yokohama"...

Eijiro Kobayashi
A High Bridge by Night.
A design influenced by James Whistler and Hiroshige.
Series: Hasegawa Night Scenes.
Date: 1910-30s.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 9.875 x 7.125 inches.
Publisher: Hasegawa Takejiro/Nishinomiya Yosaku (No. 1241 in Hasegawa catalog).
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Very soft upper left corner bend.
Compare with our Eijiro024 and Eijiro028.

Arai Yoshimune
Fishing Boat
Date: 1910s.
An early edition on original card-like paper.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.125 x 7.5 inches.
Publisher: Hasegawa. From the famous "Night Scenes" series. Hasegawa catalog No. 1245.
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: The center bottom margin has tears...

Ota Masamitsu (aka Ota Gako) 太田雅光 (1892–1975)
Beach at Night
Date: 1910s-30s.
Size: Chuban. Print size: Approximately 10 x 7.75.
Matte board size: 14 x 11.
Signed "Gako" by the artist.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Round, red Takemura seal.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Print is fully adhered to the board. The board is foxed.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Mt. Fuji and Sailboat (Fuji Yama)
Size: Kotanzaku. Approximately 24.8 x 12.0 cm. 9.75 x 4.875 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Artist's signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 367). Original publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: A few very faint foxing marks.

Japanese shin hanga woodblock print by Shiro Kasamatsu (1898-1991) titled "Misty Evening at Shinobazu Pond" dated Showa 7" (1932). Post World War II edition bearing the round 6mm Watanabe publisher's seal in the lower left corner of the image below the artist's red signature seal. Paper size: 15 5/16" x 10 1/4" (image: 14 1/8" x 9 3/8"). Very good, clean overall condition with nice color and full margins. The back is clean and the print does not appear to have been previously framed...

Japanese Meiji period kacho-e (bird and flower) woodblock print of a sulphur-crested cockatoo perched on a magnolia branch by Imao Keinen (1845-1924). The print is titled in kanji at the top "No 25" and is from the spring volume of "Keinen's Album of Birds and Flowers" (Keinen Kacho Gafu) published by Nishimura Sozaemon in 1891-1892. Paper: 14 1/4" x 9 1/2" (image: 12 5/8" x 8 3/4"). Very good, clean overall condition with nice color. It does not appear to have been previously framed...

Japanese shin hanga mitsugiri format woodblock print titled "Eagle" depicting an eagle standing on a rocky ledge over crashing waves by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870-1949) dating circa 1930s. The artist's signature and red seal are at the lower right...

A Yoshitoshi Mori woodblock print entitled Afternoon Nap (Hirune) that was published in 1979, artist signed and numbered 17/50. Framed and in excellent condition.

Age: 1979

Dimensions: 29" Wide by 23 1/2" High

A Yoshitoshi Mori woodblock print entitled Samurai that was published in 1978, artist signed and numbered 44/70.

Age: 1978

Frame measures 40 3/4" Wide by 16 1/2" high.