Dealing in fine Japanese prints, paintings and books since 1968
Dealing in fine Japanese prints, paintings and books since 1968
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a full length study of a peasant carrying a box on her head. A small vignette of a samisen player at the bottom left. Sumi on thin paper. 12.75 x 9.5 in., 33 x 24 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing two full length female studies. Sumi on thin paper. 14.5 x 10 in., 36.5 x 25.5 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a full length study of a woman surrounded with various vignettes of the same model. Sumi and pentimenti on thin paper. 14.5 x 10.5 in., 37 x 26.5 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing showing a seated woman offering sushi on a platter. Sumi and pentimenti on thin paper. 12 x 9 in., 30 x 23 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original giga hand-scroll by Kiyochika, sumi and colour on paper, 504 inches x 10.5 inches. Shows the progress of a horseman on observing a beauty and attendant. Kiyochika, one of the last great ukiyoe artists, studied oil painting under Charles Wirgman, and ukiyoe painting with Kyosai and Zeshin. This was probably an orihon ( folding album ) which has been remounted as a hand- scroll. Dated at end: Meiji tsuchino-e inu, March 1898 and sealed Kiyochika no in. Status: Sold Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. A boy feeding geese. Sumi and light colour on paper, lightly laid onto card. From an album. 27 x 34 cms; 10.6 x 13.4 inches. Good condition. Sealed Goshun no in. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Hovering dragonflies. Sumi and colour on paper. 28 x 35.8 cms; 11 x 13.9 inches. Good condition. Unsigned but from a fully signed album. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Two fishermen in a punt. Sumi and light colour on paper. 19 x 30 cms; 7.5 x 11.9 inches. Good condition. Unsigned but from a fully signed album. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A fan painting showing a children’s toy. A rotating lantern with moving images. Kiitsu was a pupil of Hoitsu. Sumi and colour on lacquered paper. Good condition for a used fan. Signed Kiitsu ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing of a sleeping cat. The original hanshita-e for a published print from Ten Sketches, volume two, published 1918-20. Illustrated in Hashiguchi Goyo, 130 Years Birth. Memorial Exhibition catalogue, Chiba City Museum, Iwakiri Shinichiro, Tokyo Shinibun, 2011. On thin Japanese paper, 11 x 15.5 in; 28 x 39.4 cms. Several expertly repaired tears, otherwise very good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original sumi drawing of a seated bijin writing on a handscroll. From a series of such studies showing women in various attitudes, smoking; playing musical instruments; adjusting hair, etc. The design cut out and mounted onto a larger sheet of Japanese paper, 10.5 x 8 inches. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An important original drawing by Hiroshige being an hanshita-e (preparatory sketch) for an unpublished series Toto meisho gojusan tsugi, “Fifty-Three Views of Edo.” Shows Nihonbashi with a daimyo’s cortege crossing. Warehouses in the background and a distant Fuji. Probably executed c. early 1850s. Sumi on thin paper, 9.5 x 13.5 in; 24 x 34 cms. Extensive pentimenti. Sold “as is” with imperfections but in good condition. Provenance: Ex Huguette Beres collection, sold Sothebys, Paris, 27/11/2002, lot 177. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An important original drawing by Hiroshige being an hanshita-e (preparatory sketch) for an unpublished series Toto Fujimi junigatsu, “Mount Fuji Viewed from Edo in the Twelve Months.” This is February showing the Inari Bridge and the Minato Temple; boats in the foreground and Fuji in the distance. Probably drawn c. early 1850s. Sumi on thin paper. Sold “as is” with imperfections but in good condition. Provenance: Ex Huguette Beres collection, sold Sothebys, Paris, 27/11/2002, lot 179. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing, sumi on paper, 9 x 12 in; 23 x 30.5 cms. Neko ni kamibukuro, “cat in a paper bag.” A proverb: “to back away from something.” Slight foxing, otherwise good condition. Sealed Ichiryusai. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A preliminary brush drawing for a print laid onto Japanese paper showing a full length portrait of the sumo wrestler Fujibi Mitsuemon. Originally a drawing of another wrestler was made and altered with pentimenti to show Mitsuemon. 13.25 x 9.5 in; 33.6 x 24.2 cms. Signed Kunitsuna ga. He was a pupil of Toyokuni. Purchased from me in 1975. Sold “as is” with all imperfections. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A small original drawing, 3.25 x 4.25 in; 0.825 x 1.05 cms. Sumi on paper laid onto card showing a vendor or waiter offering food. Very much in the style of the “Day” and “Night” series of drawings in the MFA, Boston, c 1815. Provenance: Ex collection Catherine Gide, the daughter of Andre Gide and Elizabeth van Rysselberghe who was the daughter of Theo van Rysselberghe, the Belgian painter and friend of the French Impressionists. Sold “as is.” Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original oban (14 x 9.5 in; 35.5 x 24 cms) hanshita-e drawing, sumi on thin paper, for an unpublished set Rokkasen kiri etoki, “Picture Storytelling of Climatic Scenes of the Six Immortal Poets.” In this case the poet Fun’ya no Yasuhide and depicts his most famous poem, no. 22 in the Hyakunin Isshu, which describes the autumn gales bending the trees and grasses. Shows the poet caught in a gale. In fact this is the same subject as a published design in a chu-tanzaku set by Hiroshige published by Shogendo in c 1835-39 (see MFA, Boston, acc. no. 21.7035): Possibly the publisher changed his mind about the format to use. Signed Hiroshige ga. Sold “as is” but in good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original oban (10.5 x 15 in; 26.75 x 38 cms) preparatory drawing, sumi on thin paper, for an unpublished set. Shows a warrior and attendants, one of whom is being handed a parcel of scrolls (Gohonzon ?) by a priest in a nearby hut. Possibly intended for a set based on incidents in the life of Nichiren. Ex Julius Kurth collection (1870-1949. A German priest and scholar who published many books and papers on Japanese prints and Egyptian and Near Eastern art.) Sold “as is” but in generally good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original pencil drawing on thick paper, 13.5 x 13.75 in; 34.25 x 35 cms, of a nude. Quite probably either Kodaira Tomi or Nakatani Tsuru. Both were his muse and had similar features. On the reverse is another drawing of a nude with the face unfinished. Two small red seals bottom left. One reading Honjo, the other unread. A small amount of foxing on reverse, otherwise in good condition. Status: Sold Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. An original preparatory drawing (hanshita-e) for an unpublished set. Shows a busy street scene with a doctor’s surgery on the right. Probably c early 1870s. Signed on a painter’s palette Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi fude. Two small areas of pentimenti. Sumi on thin Japanese paper, image size 13.5 x 9.25 in; 34.5 x 23.5 cms. In good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing in vigorous sumi and red ink showing fighting samurai. Possibly a preparatory sketch for an illustrated book. Lightly laid at edges onto Japanese paper, otherwise good condition. 6.5 x 10.75 in; 16.5 x 27.3 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original drawing in vigorous red ink showing fighting samurai. Possibly a preparatory sketch for an illustrated book. Lightly laid at edges onto Japanese paper, otherwise good condition. 7 x 10.5 in; 17.8 x 26.6 cms. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An important large brush drawing in red ink showing a full length figure wielding a stave at a cowering adversary. The standing figure has no sword or armour but is obviously a chivalrous man of great probity. The leaning attitude of the upright figure is typical of Hokusai (for example, see Theodore Bowie, Indiana University Press, 1974, The Drawings of Hokusai, no. 108) and gives movement to what otherwise would be a static pose. Red ink was frequently used by Hokusai, not just on the obvious Shoki paintings (see nos. 160-161, pages 254-5, Timothy Clark, Hokusai Beyond The Great Wave, B.M., 2017) but as underdrawing on figures and landscapes (see nos. 178-182, pages 279-283, Timothy Clark, Hokusai Beyond The Great Wave, B.M., 2017). Red ink and wash on thin Japanese paper laid onto european paper, image area 16.5 x 15.5 in; 41.5 x 39.5 cms. An area not pertinent to the design missing top right but otherwise in good condition. Provenance: Ex collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller (inventory number 23.040). Status: Sold Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. An original hanshita-e (preparatory drawing) for a triptych showing the ground floor interior of a brothel in the Yoshiwara with courtesans and their assistants. These first drafts by the artist themselves survive because a more detailed drawing was needed by the blockcutter, and this was normally given to an assistant to execute. Or the drawing was never taken up by the publisher, for whatever reason. He was a pupil of Kunisada, originally calling himself Sadashige, and becoming Kuniteru when Kunisada became Toyokuni III. Sumi and touches of red. Extensive pentimenti. Sold “as is” with all imperfections. Signed on two sheets Kuniteru ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original sumi drawing showing the two gods of good luck, Ebisu and Daikoku, fishing from a boat. A variety of sea creatures can be seen in the water. Ebisu’s fishing line has caught an octopus which has landed on Daikoku’s head. 12 x 9.25 in; 30.5 x 23.5 cms. Laid onto Japanese paper. Sold “as is” with imperfections. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An original watercolour on cartridge paper of the actor Onoe Kikugoro VI as Tomomori. Shunsen is famous for his print series of actors published by Watanabe from 1916 until 1954. 39.2 x 28.5 cms; 15.5 x 11.25 inches. Signed and sealed Shunsen. Minor foxing, otherwise good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A sheet of original studies, sumi on thin paper, 10.5 x 15 in; 26.6 x 38 cms. Of particular interest and importance is the self-portrait in the upper right, This is another version of the famous self-portrait at the age of 83 (1842) sent to his publisher. Illustrated in Hokusai Drawings, J. Hiller, Phaidon, 1966, ill. No. 110 from the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands. Provenance: Ex Henri Vever collection, seal bottom right. One small wormhole, otherwise in very good condition. Status: Sold Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. A fine large original drawing, sumi on thin paper, 12 x 18 in; 30.4 x 45,7 cms. Shows two awabi divers surrounded by crabs kneeling before a figure – possibly Empress Jingu – seated behind a dragon and surrounded by samurai. Provenance: Ex collection Dr. Julius Kurth (1870-1949), an eminent scholar who wrote extensively on Japanese and Chinese art. Sold “as is” but in good condition. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A sheet of original sumi drawings laid onto Japanese paper, 14 x 8 in; 35.5 x 20.1 cms.: Four being preliminary designs for the book: Ehon teikin orai, “Communication of Home Precepts” published in three volumes by Eijudo in 1828 (second and third vols n.d.). Together with a small study of a frog (with Hayashi seal). Provenance: Ex Hayashi collection, sold at the Hayashi sale, L’Hotel Drouot, 2nd June, 1902, lot 44. There exist drawings copied from these books. However, the drawings here show Hokusai indicating areas of, for example, foliage or flooring, which are then completed in detail by a pupil or block-copyist for the block-cutter. Obviously drawings copied from the book show these finished details. Laid around edges on old mount. Sold “as is” with minor imperfections. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A sheet of original sumi drawings laid onto Japanese paper, 13 x 8 in; 33 x 20.1 cms.: Four being preliminary designs for the book: Ehon teikin orai, “Communication of Home Precepts” published in three volumes by Eijudo in 1828 (second and third vols n.d.). Together with a study of persimmons. Provenance: Ex Hayashi collection, sold at the Hayashi sale, L’Hotel Drouot, 2nd June, 1902, lot 45. There exist drawings copied from these books. However, the drawings here show Hokusai indicating areas of, for example, foliage or flooring, which are then completed in detail by a pupil or block-copyist for the block-cutter. Obviously drawings copied from the book show these finished details. Laid around edges on old mount. Sold “as is” with minor imperfections. Status: Sold