Title: "Father Time with Five Cupids", an angle flying in the clouds while three cupids are taking documents from the angle and two cupids holding onto documents
Title:" Beauty of the Times". Signed by: Toyokuni (Utagawa) 1769--1825. Date: 12th month. Woman kneeling before a table spread with food ready to be served. The artist is one of the best known artists of "Ukiyoye." He was the son of a wood carver.
from "Women's Manners and Customs" Signed by: Gessho (Kaisuke) Red Seal below name. Women enjoying the evening cool at Shijo Bridge in Kyoto. Woman in foreground is burning an incense stick called "Senko." From this comes a word "Senkodai" which means time change for "geisha girl". Two paper gardent lanterns are lighted illustrating an early evening hour.
Title: "The Gate Keeper, Sakuramaru". Signed By: (Toyokuni) Kunisada 1785-1865. Publisher's seal: Yebisu-ya with "Kiwame" Seal. Descriptive Title: Sakuramaro- name of Gate Keeper. Kunisada's work signed with his later name of Toyokuni are not very good. In his later years he did no more than the first outline drawing of a print, leaving his pupils to carry out the color scheme, and exercising no supervision of his printers. There are inumerable actor-portraits of his.
Title: "Woman Before the Koto". Publisher's Seal: Mankyu (?). Woman about to sit down before her musical instrument- the harp (koto). The colors of her dressing indicate her to be an elderly woman. Upper section: Famous poem from one of the "Karuto" playing cards. The drawing inserted in the fan is from the cards.
Title:"An Actor as a Warrior" Signed. Publisher's Seal: Tsuta-ya. Kunisada is chief pupil of Toyokuni. His production fo actor prints are considered even greater than his master. There is no particular actor's name printed on this sheet. One of the warriors with a "hachimaki" (band) around his head. Sword in right hand. In fighting, the right shoulder outer garment is stripped, so the difference in color can be noted.
Title: "The Warrior Hyoe". Publisher's Seal: (Engravers seal only). Although this work is signed Toyokuni, it can be distinguished as Kunisada's because the signature is enclosed in a cartouche, a device never employed by the great master Toyokuni (the red seal in the upper left corner.)
Title: "Woman on Clogs". Kunisada signed his prints Toyokuni after 1844. Kunisada's prints after 1844 are considered crude and harsh. This picture illustrates a woman on high rain-time clogs. The plum blossoms indicate late winter. A fancy bamboo fence stretches across print.
Title: "An October Tea Ceremony" or "Yoshiwara, Events of the Year, 10th Month". Publisher's Seal: Wakasaya "Kiwame" Seal. "Oiran" in the foreground. The drawing in the circle illustrates the event of that month. A tea ceremony.
Title:"Bandit" Signed. Engraver's seal only. Of the Utagawa School, Kunisada was the best known, on account of his enormous productivity. This is how a mountain robber looked and acted in feudalistic times.
Title:"Figure Study of a Courtesan" Signed by: Yeisan (Keisai) 1789-1851. Date: 1830-1851. Yeisan is the pupil of Kano Hakukeisai, the last half of whose name he took for his first, Keisai. He did both landscapes and figure studies. This is the figure of a courtesan, probably an "oiran" or a "geisha". Inset is a "Tanzaku"-a strip of paper for writing poems on. His figure studies are an output of his later years.
Title:"Self Portrait of Wm. Hogarth " (Engrave from the original painting by Hogarth). This engraving was done from a painting by Wm. Hogarth. Depicts Hogarth, his dog, three books, a painting pallet on which is enscribed,"the Line of Beauty, and Grace."
Title:"Man With Tobacco Pipe and Case". Signed. Date: Early form. Publisher's Seal: Yamoto Heikichi (Yama- Kyu). Toyokuni's output of prints (actors and figure studies) was enormous, and varies much in quality. This man has a costume quite different from the "Samurai." It is just an everyday wear.
Title: "Pilgrimage in the Snow". Explanation: Kuniyoshi did some good landscapes, many deserving to rank with those of Hiroshige. His figure studies are strongly drawn, often with a humorous touch. His colors are rarely the crude and hideous colors, while he frequently made a very effevtive use of masses of black, as this picture. The man has an umbrella and gourd in hand
Title: "Cherry Blossoms of the Sumida River". Explanation: Kuniyoshi also used manes Ichiyusai and Cho-o-ro. Right: Woman with toy instrument, after a day of viewing flowers. Medium: Woman and child calling back to husband. Left: Husband with umbrella and tobacco pipe in hand.
Title: "Cherry Blossoms of the Sumida River". Explanation: Kuniyoshi also used manes Ichiyusai and Cho-o-ro. Right: Woman with toy instrument, after a day of viewing flowers. Medium: Woman and child calling back to husband. Left: Husband with umbrella and tobacco pipe in hand.
This is one of his later works. This is a 3 sheet upright print called (Ta teye-Sammai-tsuzuki). Uyeno Park is still a famous park for its cherry blossoms in present day Japan. Here, the customers (of elderly women) of the 19th century can be seen. In the background is the famous Shiruizu Temple.
Title: "A Happy Event". Explanation: The woman is presenting white rice cakes on a tray with chopsticks. Upper section: Picture of a bend on an island.
Title:"At Kanaya Station" (Plate #25) from "53 Stations on the Tokaido" Signed by Hokusai I-itsu (hitsu) 1760-1849 Publisher's Seal: Takenouchi. Of the numerous series of landscape scenes designed by Hiroshige, none are better known, or have brought him wider fame, than his celebrated early set of view (all oblon) on the two captials-- Yedo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto (old capital). A distance of 323 miles. This is Plate #25. At Kanaya. Beyond the wide sandy flats of the river, across which a "Daimyos" cortege is being carried, rises a jumble of fooothills, in a crevice of which nestles a village. In the background, a high range of curioulsy hump-shaped mountains, printed in graded black from color blocks only.
Title: "One of the Famous Loyal League of 47 Ronin". Explanation: Artist is leading pupil of Toyokuni. Of the numerous dramas performed in the marionette theatre, the most popular as a subject for color printing was the "Chushingura." This warrior is one of the 47 named Maeda. The night of their charge was on a very snowy day, as can be seen in the print, too.
Title:"Top of Atago Hill Sheba" from "Famous Sites of the Eastern Capital". Signed by Hiroshige (1797- 1858). Publisher's Seal: Sanoki. This is one from a series issued continuously form 1833 to 1843. First editions have the stamp of the publisher, Kikakudo; later prints, a stamp of Sanki. Shis is the later. Both represents the same firm. All are "Oban Yokoye" (10" x15" horizontal in size). A huge gate, called "mon" stands erect at top of hill. There are many steps leading up to this hill form fown. Three can be seen ascending.
Title: "Cherry Blossoms of the Sumida River". Explanation: Kuniyoshi also used manes Ichiyusai and Cho-o-ro. Right: Woman with toy instrument, after a day of viewing flowers. Medium: Woman and child calling back to husband. Left: Husband with umbrella and tobacco pipe in hand.
Title:" Station Kamoyama" from "53 Stations on the Tokaido" This is Plate #47. Signed by Hiroshige (1797-1858). Publisher's Seal: Tsutaya-Kichizo. A celebrated snow scene of Hiroshige's. Travellers ascending a steep hillside, to the entrance to the castle of Kameyama. Considered the second masterpiece of the series.
Title:" Rain at Night" Signed by Hiroshige (Ichiryusai) 1797-1858 A "surimono 7" x 8". They aer best indicatd b saying that they are nothing so much as our Chirstmas cards.
Title:"Stop at Okazaki". Signed by: Yeisen (Keisai). Publisher's Seal: Tsutaya Kichizo. Major point being figure study of a "geisha". Background is the site of Okazaki.
Title:"Woman Reading a Rollscript" Signed. Publisher's Seal: Wakosa-ya. In general, Kuniyoshi's figure studies are strongly drawn, often with a humouous tough. The upper section with its characters explain about a famous writing, with the writer's signature with two red seals. Japanese characters are read from right to left, up and down as this woman is supposed to be doing. The writings are centered on sentimental love sayings.
Title: "Entertainer and Her Attendants" or "Oiran and Kamuro". Explanation: Kuniyasu did rather uncommonwork. The Oiran dresses in splendor and his coiffure is of an elaborate nature. They are distinguished by wearing the sash (obi) tied in front. The "kamura" are children bought by the yaro-ya keepers at the age of 5 or 6. The man is holding a paper folding lantern.
Title: "Morning of the Theatrical Opening at Sakai, Yedo". Explanation: People rushing to the gates for the opening with lunch boxes and floor mat covering. This woman is disorderly dressed.
Title:"Figure Study of a Beautiful Entertainer". Signed by: Yeizan (Kikugawa) 1800-1829. Publisher's Seal: Arita-ya. It is commented that Yeizan's pictures of courtesans are not so good. They tend to become exaggerated, and over-loaded with design, and are the work of an artist who became a poor copyist, without much of his originality, one print being very like another. He took to copying Kunidada's full-length figures. His earlier designs are boldly drawn, graceful, and his colors are good. This picture looks like a "shinzo", ranked next to an "oiran". This is a "Kakemono".
Title:" Prosperity of the Capitol". Signed by : Yoshikazu (1830-1865). Date: Hare 5th month. Publisher's Seal: Sanok. Elderly woman strolling with fan in hand. Behind- a trader with his goods on his back. Background- stores.
Title:" An Entertainer" Signed. Publisher's Seal: only "Kiwame" seal. Sencho is a pupil of Yeisen; he designed studies of "oirans" closely after the style of his master. This is one of is figure studies. Quite a disorderly dressed woman.
Title:"At Yokaichi" from the series:"53 Stations of the Takaido". This is Plate No. 44 at Yokkaichi- San Cho kawa. These are a set of 55 (including prints of starting off point at Yedo and arriving at Kyoto). The series was completed in Jan. 1834. A high wind is blowing from right across the marsh. To left, a peasant, cloaked, on a trestle bridge; another races along the causeway to catch his hat which has blown off. In center, a willow tree bending to the wind; left, roofs of cottages, and masts of boats. The bow of a punt in the foreground.
Title:" Full Length Portrait of a Young Man". Signed by: Yoshitoshi (1837-1892). Date: about 1975. Publisher's Seal: Yamajin. The principle underlying men's dress is the same as that of the women. The colors are generally low in tone, and decoration- if any- are limited. He is wearing a man's "hakama" (loose trousers). The flowers in his hands might suggest that he is on his way to decorate them on the graves of his ancestors. (Significance of paying respect of the dead.)
Title:"The Flower Mirror". Signed by: Yoshitora (Utagawa). Publisher's Seal: Sen-ichi. An elderly woman viewing the morning glories in bloom. The poem on the left extoll the beauty of the flowers. Yoshitora is one of the most capable of Kuniyoshi's pupils.