Monthly Archives: April 2016

A Print a Day – Hiroshige’s Mandarin Ducks

Posted on April 27, 2016 by

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) Kacho-e of Mandarin Ducks (Oshidori) Swimming Among Water Grasses, Chuban. 1830’s. This delightful print shows a pair of Oshidori, or Mandarin ducks swimming together in a swirl of contented harmony; unsurprising, as in Japanese (and Chinese, where … Continue reading →

Posted in Hirosada, Hiroshige, Kacho-e, Oshidori, ukiyo-e | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hikimayu…Fashion Trends of the Heian Period

Posted on April 26, 2016 by

Kunichika (1835-1900) Thirty-six Good and Evil Beauties: Shirabyoshi Dancer on a Boat, 1876. I love this series of prints by Kunichika. It’s called 36 Good and Evil Beauties and is one of his finest series of woodblock prints. Each print, … Continue reading →

Posted in Floating World, geisha, Hikimayu, Japanese Eyebrows, japanese hair styling, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, Kunichika, Meiji Art, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art, yoshitoshi | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Buying Japanese Woodblock Prints… a Print per Day at Toshidama Gallery

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

Chikanobu (1838 – 1912)  Jidai kagami (A mirror of the ages): The Bunsei era (1818 – 1830); Upper Inset: Dancer and people in front of a sign for nishiki-e, 1897 The photograph doesn’t do any justice at all to this … Continue reading →

Posted in Art Collector, Asian Art, Chikanobu, Edo, Hirosada, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Meiji Art, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fumi-e, Christian Persecution in Tokugawa Japan… “Silence”, a New Film by Martin Scorsese

Posted on April 24, 2016 by

Yoshitoshi (1839 – 1892) One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: Gen’i Composes a Poem to the Moon, 1887 The very lovely Japanese woodblock print above is of a Japanese Buddhist priest and diplomat of the sixteenth century called Gen’i. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, Fumi-e, Japanese Christians, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, Liam Neeson, Martin Scorsese, Meiji Art, yoshitoshi | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Japanese Dragons, Shopkins and Superstition

Posted on April 23, 2016 by

Kuniaki II (active 1835 – 1888) Spring Colours: Lion Dancers at a Mansion, 1861. This triptych shows a group, probably Prince Genji, outside a house watching the good luck dragons during Sakura—Cherry Blossom Season. The Japanese call the lion dance … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, Floating World, Japanese Art, Japanese Demon, Japanese prints, Japanese Puppetry, japanese woodblock prints, Shopkins, Taylor Raine, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hiroshige… Japanese Tits and Kacho-e

Posted on April 22, 2016 by

Hiroshige (1797-1858) Kacho-e of a Great-tit on a Plum Branch, 1830’s. This is a very pretty print of a Japanese Great Tit called Parus minor, also known as the Oriental tit. Surprisingly, this inoffensive bird has been in the news … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiroshige, Japanese Art, Japanese prints, Japanese Tits, japanese woodblock prints, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hiroshige, Modernism and Cezanne (print per day)

Posted on April 21, 2016 by

Hiroshige (1797-1858) Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Toto no meisho): Shiba Shinmei Shrine, 1834 Recession… that’s the big challenge for the easel painter and especially the landscape painter. The painting is flat… the surface of the canvas is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Cezanne, Edo, Hiroshige, japanese woodblock prints, Perspective in Art, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ashiyuki and the Tsuzumi Drum

Posted on April 20, 2016 by

Ashiyuki (active 1813 – 1833) Nakamura Matsue III as Akoya in the Play Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki, 1829 This lovely print… a rare and early Osaka triptych in oban format shows three actors (all male, despite appearances), the centre … Continue reading →

Posted in Ashiyuki, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Tsuzumi Drum, ukiyo-e, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kunichika and The Masu Rice Measure

Posted on April 19, 2016 by

Kunichika (1835-1900)  Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen, 1882. This is a fine print, a triptych by Kunichika. The scene is from one of the many (probably terrible) melodramatic plays favoured by the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro. Based on historic fact, … Continue reading →

Posted in Floating World, Ichikawa Danjuro, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, masu, Meiji Art, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kunichika and the Japanese Firemen

Posted on April 18, 2016 by

Kunichika (1835-1900)  Ichikawa Kuzo III as Kinmon Tatsugoro (centre) in Kami no Megumi Wagô no Torikumi, 1864 It is always problematic to say for sure in any print, which play, which actor, which role is pictured. What with so many … Continue reading →

Posted in firemen, Floating World, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Kunisada, Meiji Art, sumo, sumotori, Tattoo Art, tobi, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e art, utagawa | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment