Richard Kruml

Richard Kruml

Kubo SHUNMAN (1757-1820)

Click here to view image full size. One of a series of surimono with title: Guncho gafu, “ Pictorial Record of a Swarm of Butterflies.” (In fact butterflies and moths.) Shunman is recognised as possibly the greatest designer of surimono…

Sakai HOITSU (1761-1828)

Click here to view image full size. One volume complete Oson gafu, “Drawing Book of Oson.” (This being one of the artist’s names taken from the village Uguisu-mura where he lived in retirement.) The Rimpa artist Hoitsu revived the work…

Ryuryukyo SHINSAI (1764-1820)

Click here to view image full size. An original painting, sumi and light colour on silk, 32 x 11 in; 81.3 x 28 csms. Shows three classes in Japanese society: Farmer’s wife, Priest and a Samurai, forced to shelter together…

Matsumura GOSHUN (1752-1811)

Click here to view image full size. An original painting, sumi and light colour on silk, 49 x 22 in; 124.5 x 56 cms. Shows a mountainous landscape in snow with figures on a narrow footpath between overhanging cliffs. Goshun…

Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

Click here to view image full size. Station Numazu from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the…

Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

Click here to view image full size. Station Okitsu from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the…

Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

Click here to view image full size. Station Ejiri from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the…

Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

Click here to view image full size. Station Kanbara from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the…

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Ichikawa Ebizo V (Ichikawa Danjuro VII) in a Shibaraku scene as the warrior Usui Arataro Sadamitsu (Taira no Tadamichi) adopting the cross-eyed mie expression to show great emotion. From an untitled…

Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)

Click here to view image full size. Jakko Nunobiki no taki, “The Hanging Cloth Waterfall at Jakko Shrine.” So-called because it falls in seven-tiers. The shrine is seen below the fall. From a set of five prints: It was probably…

Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)

Click here to view image full size. The Kirifuri waterfall, Kirifuri no taki, santaki no sono ikkei, “The Falling Mist Waterfall, View of One of the Three Falls.” From a set Nikkosan meisho no uchi, “Celebrated Views in the Nikko…

Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing horse racing in Tokyo. Tokyo Shokonsha [the original name of the Yasukuni Shrine] naigaijin keiba no zu, “Horse Racing for Foreigners and Japanese in Shokonsha Tokyo.” From Tokyo kaika kyoga…

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. A diptych showing the actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa in the drama Shibaraku, “Just a moment.” The large sansho (three square) motif was the symbol of the Danjuro clan and…

Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)

Click here to view image full size. An amorous couple from an unsigned abuna-e (from abunai, risqué) set of twelve prints Keisai higo, “Secret Words of a Courtesan” published c. 1822-25. Although coming under the heading of shunga, each print…

Mori SOSEN (1747-1821)

Click here to view image full size. An original painting, sumi and light colour on silk, image size 8 x 10.75 in; 20.5 x 27.5 cms. His life is not well documented but he is known to have studied under…

Toyohara KUNICHIKA (1835-1900)

Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing the actor Onoe Kikugoro V as the archvillain and sorcerer Nikki Danjo emanating in a cloud of smoke from his alter ego – the giant rat. He holds in…

Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

Click here to view image full size. The actor Onoye Kikugoro III as the ghost of Oiwa from a production of Yotsuya kaidan at the Morita Theatre, 1836. Probably the most famous Japanese ghost story. It was adapted by the…

1764-65 – a pivotal year for Ukiyoe-e

The years 1764/5 are now recognised as the most pivotal in the development of Ukiyo-e. Prior to this year fully polychrome prints were rarely produced. The ability to ‘key’ more than one block been known had for some time using…