Japanese woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, Tsukioka (1839-1892) entitled "The Fever of Taira no Kiymori". A triptych print, the scene is of the tyrant Taira no Kiyomori as he writhes in fever just before death. According to legend, the evil Kiyomori burned down a temple and is fetched for retribution by Emma-o the King of Hell, Kiyomori's wife and son kneel and pray for his salvation while demons and the souls of Kiyomori's victims surround him. Print date: 1883...

A rarely encountered limited edition Japanese woodblock print over gold leaf depicting a solitary blue, white, and gold tree set against a barren foreground titled simply "Tree" by Joichi Hoshi (1913-1979) dated 1974. Pencil-signed "J. Hoshi" and dated '74 at the lower right, with the artist's square red seal above. Pencil-titled in kanji at the lower left and marked with the edition number 6/95. Paper size: 10"V x 13"H (image: 7 1/4" x 10 1/2"). Very good overall condition...

Yamakawa Shuho (1898 - 1944)
Premonition of Snow, 1927
Size: Oban, approximately 15.0 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Bijutsusha
Condition. Unframed. This print has had tears and toning professionally restored.
An intriguing bijin image with an unusual title.

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) depicting a kabuki actor portraying a samurai. His sword rests on the ground and his matchlock musket leans against the wall. Firearms were introduced to Japan by foreign traders in the 16th century. The maru-ni-chigai-Takanoha family mon is on his kimono. This crest, which consisted of two crossed hawk feathers, was used by two Edo period samurai families. This image was published by Maruya Seijiro in 1854...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) featuring a beauty serving tea to another beauty who is resting in a palanquin smoking a pipe from Act 6 of "Chushingura e-kyodai" (Matching Pictures of Chushingura) dated 1859. "Chushingura" is also known as the "Tale of the Forty-seven Ronin." The censor's seal and the seal of the publisher, Moriya Jihei, are at the lower left portion of the print...

Kawase Hasui
Kankai Temple, Beppu Hot Springs, 1927
Publisher: Bijutsusha. One of only eight Hasui designs published by Bijutsusha. Bears the red "Rumi" publisher's seal.
Size: Oban, approximately 15.0 x 10.25 inches.
Condition: Unframed. Excellent. A small (2 mm) hole in the dark green foliage has been invisibly repaired by a conservator. Short green dash in grey upper right sky.
A lush landscape format print and a rare design...

A rarely encountered Japanese "shin hanga" woodblock print titled "Sunset Glow at the Skirt of Mt. Fuji" by Ito Takashi (1894-1982), published by Watanabe in the second month of 1952. This print is from an old Tucson, Arizona collection and was purchased in the mid-20th century. It is not a recent Heisei edition. This standard sized horizontal oban print has full margins and measures 10 3/8" x 15 1/4" (image about 9 1/2" x 14 1/4"). Very good color and overall condition...

"The Clarence Buckingham Collection of Japanese Prints Volume II: Harunobu, Koryusai, Shigemasa, Their Followers and Contemporaries" by Gentles, Margaret O., The Art Institute of Chicago, 1965. Oversized book measuring 12" x 15.7". 307 pages, 8 color and 525 b/w plates, bibliography, glossary, index. Cloth book with original slipcase. This rare out of print book was produced in a limited edition of 1,000 copies. It is the second of two volumes on the Clarence Buckingham Collection...

Artist: Kawase Hasui
Title: Daimotsu, Amagasaki
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo, 6mm seal.
Date: 1940. The 6mm seal was used between 1946 and 1957.
Size: Oban, approximately 15.5 x 10.25 inches.
Condition: Pristine. Unframed. Never displayed. The two left margin pinholes are the original state.

Oban diptych by Taiso Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) titled “The Story of the Strong Woman Takashima Oiko of Omi Province” from the series "A New Selection of Eastern Brocade Pictures." The print depicts Takashima Oiko leading Saeki Urinaga home in an effort to strengthen him for a wrestling match. The artist's signature and Taiso seal are at the lower left. The lower left margin contains the date of "Meiji 22" (1889). The title cartouche is at the upper right. Published by Tsunashima Kamekichi...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) featuring two beauties from Act 5 of "Chushingura e-kyodai" (Matching Pictures of Chushingura) dated 1859. "Chushingura" is also known as the "Tale of the Forty-seven Ronin." The censor's seal and the seal of the publisher, Moriya Jihei, are at the bottom of the print. The signature of the artist (signed "Toyokuni ga" in a red cartouche with yellow snow) is located at the bottom left corner. Standard vertical oban print...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) depicting a lively scene from Act 11 of "Chushingura e-kyodai" (Matching Pictures of Chushingura) dated 1859. "Chushingura" is also known as the "Tale of the Forty-seven Ronin." The seal of the publisher, Moriya Jihei, the censor seal, and the signature of the artist (signed "Toyokuni ga" in a red cartouche with yellow snow) are all located at the lower right. Standard vertical oban print measuring 14"V x 9 3/4"H. Very...

Ohara Shoson (Koson)
Title: Crow on a Snow Covered Branch
Date: 1910s ~ 1920s
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo
Size: 11.25 x 5.5 inches.
Reference: Newland, Amy R."Crows, cranes & camellias" p. 196.

A rare creped woodblock print by Koson. Creping was popular in the early 20th century due to superior durability.
Condition: Unframed. Excellent. This print appears to be as fresh as the day it was made. It is an absolute knockout. The scans do not do justice to th...

TWO JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTS COMMEMORATING FREDERICK STARR & NOSATSU.

Frederick Starr was a professor of anthropology at Chicago University who first visited Japan in 1904 and made many subsequent visits. He wrote many papers on Japanese subjects but is probably best known in Japan for his interest in pilgrimage, he dressed in traditional pilgrim’s clothing and performed the Shikoku pilgrimage in 1917 and 1921. He became fascinated with the tradition of nailing name slips (nosatu) to te...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print titled "Four" (yon/shi) depicting the actors Onoe Kikugoro IV and Ichikawa Kodanji IV in the roles of Oiwa and Izaemon from a series titled "After The Seven Iroha" by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) dated 8/1856. This series was published the same year as "Seven Variations of the Iroha." The title cartouches of the prints in this series feature ciphers written seven different ways. "Iroha" refers to a distinct form of Japanese poetry. The publisher's s...

Japanese sosaku hanga woodblock print depicting a pavilion on Peony Point (Botan-dai), Pyongyang, Korea and is No. 28 from the series "One Hundred Views of New Japan" by Hiratsuka Un'ichi (1895-1997). The artist's red ink Hiratsuka Un'ichi seal is at the lower right. The black ink title and artist's red "Un" seal is at the upper left. Known to date to 1940. Paper size: 9 7/8" x 12 5/8" (image: 8 7/8" x 11 7/8"). This print was never framed and is in very good overall condition. The upper right...

Japanese scroll mounting of a Hokusai Woodblock with a peasant wood gatherer on bridge over stream, in the back ground are ducks on a pond. Censor seals 1790-1842. Size of Scroll: 51 1/2" high x 10" wide Size of Art: 19 3/4" high x 9" wide

Artist: Jun'ichiro Sekino
Title: Shono, from his monumental "New 53 Stations of the Tokaido" series (1959-1974)
Size: double oban, 21.5 x 16.75 inches
Self-published, with Sekino signature and seal. Also bears the Jun Sekino watermark.
Condition: Unframed. Pristine.
- To see the detail of this work, allow us to e-mail you a large tiff file of this image taken by Robert Watson Photography, Toronto.