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. A surimono showing the nine-tailed fox ( Tamamo-no-mae ) and the warrior Miuranosuke who was a palace guard in the court of Emperor Konoe ( 1139-1155 ). Issued c 1826 for a sub-group…
Click here to view image full size. Taira no Masakado ( 901-940 ) from an extremely rare and early set: Honcho hyaku yuden, “One Hundred Warriors of Japan.” Masakado was an interloper who attempted to set up a rival court…
Click here to view image full size. Evening Glow ( Sunset ) at Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. From a set Meisho hakkei, “Eight Views of Famous Places” ( based on the Eight Views of Omi theme ). Published 1830s by Iseri.…
Click here to view image full size. Arguably Yoshitoshi’s masterpiece in the triptych format. Shows Mongaku ( Endo Morito, c.1120-1200 ) subjecting himself to three year’s penance as a Buddhist monk beneath the waterfall of Mount Nachi in Kii Province.…
Click here to view image full size. The priest Nichiren standing on the rocky promontory at Reizan in Kamakura and having his prayers for rain answered. The event occurred in 1271. His disciples surround him and protect him from the…
Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing the old hag of Hitotsuya in the dilapidated house on Adachi Moor. The morbid story tells of a woman who developed cannibalistic habits for the lord of the district who…
Click here to view image full size. Hotei with a karako puppet doll. Hotei, the God of abundance and good health, was one of the Seven Gods of Good Luck. The concept originated in India ( except Ebisu ) and…
Click here to view image full size. An original painting, full colour on silk, image size 37.75 in x 15 in; 96 cms x 38 cms. This pupil of Kitagawa Tsukimaro is known for his prints of full length beauties.…
Click here to view image full size. A rare Edo artist and poet who moved to Kyoto in the late 1810s. This Osaka surimono is extremely subtle showing a moon printed in silver amongst clouds and slanting rain. The artist…
Click here to view image full size. A snowy view: Meguro taikobashi yuhi no oka, “Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill, Meguro” from Edo meisho hyakkei, “The Hundred Famous Views of Edo.” Shows the valley of the Meguro River with Sunset…
Click here to view image full size. Kyusempo Sakucho at the battle of Peking from Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyaku-hachi-nin no hitori, “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One.” Shows the brigand wielding a huge axe…
Click here to view image full size. A prolific pupil of Eizan. Shows a carp swimming among water-weed. Blue ground. An extremely rare print. Published by Ezakiya, c 1843-6. There is another version of this print without censor’s seal and…
Click here to view image full size. A Chinese brigand, Hakujisso Hakusho, fighting a giant rooster from Suikoden gogetsu kagami, “Mirror of Heroes of the Suikoden.” Yoshiharu was a pupil of Kuniyoshi. Published by Yamaguchiya Tobei. Fine impression with extensive…
Click here to view image full size. The Earth Spider cornered in its cavernous lair by Raiko’s four retainers ( Shi-tenno ): Watanabe no Tsuna; Usui no Sadamitsu; Urabe no Suetaka, and Sakata no Kintoki. Published by Maruya Jimpachi in…
Click here to view image full size. Amidst lightning bolts a large white dragon emerges from the Koromo River before Yoshitsune and his followers at the battle of Takatachi in Mutsu Province in 1187. Yoshitsune’s loyal retainer, Benkei, is in…
Click here to view image full size. The ghost of Yoshihira striking down Nama Jiro with a thunderbolt. The scene is witnessed by Kiyomori who was sight-seeing at the the Nunobiki Waterfall. Akugenda Yoshihira ( 1141-1160 ), a Minamoto, had…
Click here to view image full size. Hidesato ( Fujiwara no ) commonly called Tawara Toda. Having killed the giant centipede for Ryujin, the Dragon King, he is shown accompanied by a host of fishy retainers riding the back of…
Click here to view image full size. Minamoto Tametomo decapitating Yamaotoko – a creature descended from a devil. From a set of ten prints: Tametomo homare no jikketsu, “Ten Famous Glories of Tametomo.” Published by Aritaya Seiemon 1847-50. Fine impression,…
Click here to view image full size. A rare surimono showing a carp and water-weeds. The carp was a symbol of achievement against adversity in Japan and had a connotation with the new year. Issued c 1822. Very good impression…
Click here to view image full size. A rare chuban yoko-e surimono from a series Kinki shoga or the Four Accomplishments. These pursuits were popular amongst Chinese and Japanese literati: Playing a musical instrument; playing go; calligraphy, and ( as…
Click here to view image full size. A ( possibly unique ) new year surimono showing a geisha leaving the Bandaikan, a bathhouse called Bandai, “Eternity.” She is biting on a hand towel which had sexual connotations – the anticipation…
Click here to view image full size. A sumptuously attired princess admiring two bonsai trees. ( Her rank is determined by the elaborate tsuzumi [ hand drum ] hair ornament. ) Number six from a set Hana awase, “A Flower…
Click here to view image full size. Shows the crucifiction of Torii Tsuneemon Katsutaka. The finest design from Kaidai hyaku senso, “Yoshitoshi’s Selection of One Hundred Warriors.” The set depicts warriors from the sixteenth century although based on Yoshitoshi’s record…
Click here to view image full size. A complete diptych showing Inuzuka Shino and Inukai Kempachi on the Horyukaku roof from Satomi Hakkenden, the eight heroes of Bakin’s novel Hakkenden. Published by Mikawa-ya Tetsugoro, c 1849-51. See the Kunichika triptych…
Click here to view image full size. A fine original Hiroshige painting showing ayu or ai, river trout, swimming in a stream or lake. The rocky bank overhangs and is reflected in the water. The ayu ( Plecoglossus altivelis ),…
Click here to view image full size. An important and fine original Hiroshige painting showing a view of Mount Fuji from Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture. Minimalist and very subtle, this is one of the best Hiroshige paintings I have had.…
Click here to view image full size. An oban diptych showing the two heroes, Inuyama Dosetsu Tadatomo ( seated ) and Inukawa Sosuke Yoshito. Chapter 22 from Bakin’s famous book of the Eight Dog Warriors. From a yellow-ground set: Honcho…
Click here to view image full size. Yoshitsune and Joruri-hime from a set of ten prints: Yoshitsune ichi dai zue, “Illustrated Biography of Yoshitsune.” Shows Yoshitsune inspecting the great book of war strategy ( Rikuto Sanryaku ) belonging to Ki-ichi…
Click here to view image full size. An early design of a famous episode depicting Raigo Ajari ( the priest Jitsusobo ) breathing out his curses and tearing up the Buddhist scrolls of Miidera Temple. His curses are directed at…
Click here to view image full size. A triptych, Shichimen Daimyojin yurai. Shows Nichiren summoning up the Seven-faced dragon to attack a hoard of warriors bottom right. Yoshitora, a pupil of Kuniyoshi, is best known for his Yokohama prints. Published…