Hiroshige

réf. 42023902 — Tokyo n.d. ca 1920's. An Oban horizontal color woodblock print:33.8 x 22.6 cm. sheet: 35.2 x 25.4.8 cm. with superb impression and registry UNUSED excellent example seldom found. RARE EARLY EDITION . . . SUPERB COMPOSITION LANDSCAPE BY JAPAN'S MOST ICONIC . . . LANDSCAPE ARTIST & PRINTMAKER . . . HIROSHIGE . . . FROM THE SERIES: . . . TOKAIDO GO JU SAN TSUGI NO UCHI: . . . NO. 5 IN "THE 53 STATIONS OF THE TOKAIDO HIGHWAY" . . SHINMACHI-BASHI: NEW TOWN BRIDGE . . THE ARTIST: ANDO Hiroshige 1797-1858 was the last major master of the Ukiyo-e school. In 1811 he entered the studio of Utagawa Toyohiro soon given the 'nom d'artiste' "Hiroshige." . He published his first color woodblock printed book in 1818. He was greatly influenced by Hokusai's series of landscape prints including this series TOKAIDO GO JU SAN TSUGI. Being impressed Hiroshige set out to do his own impressions of the Tokaido highway series. . . Hiroshige soon distinguished himself as the landscape master of Japan during this period. He made a large contribution to the development of the landscape color print as well as the traditional "Kacho" "Bird & Flower" prints with a tendency to the Kyoto Shijo School. . He remained the master of impressionist creating poetic views of nature and remained the best-loved of all Japanese artists. See Lane below p.229. With signature samples by dates. . FAMOUS PRINT FROM THE FAMOUS TOKAIDO HIGHWAY SERIES: . This famous series by Ando Hiroshige I TOKAIDO GOJU SAN TSUGI NO UCHI: THE FIFTY-THREE STAGES OF THE TOKAIDO HIGHWAY has been a standard and famous series of 54 prints since its issue in 1833-34. This is stop #5 showing Hodogaya Shin Machi Bashi New Bridge over the Katabira river. . Published by Takenouchi Magohachi Hoeidô and Tsuruya Kiemon Senkakudô circa 1833-34 Tenpo 4-5th. years with the red Hanko seal/chop of both Hoeido and Senkakudo. . CONDITION: . NOTES ON SPECIFIC COPIES: . Copy 1.: This is the original FIRST EDITION of the print. It was published circa 1833-34. The front surface is rubbed dusty the back side is re-backed with some Japanese calligraphy paper. . The impression & registry are excellent the colors are strong. . There are some neat restorations to the back side of the print using Washi handmade Japanese mulberry fiber paper when the item was re-backed in the distant past. . The white borders intact and perhaps a tiny bit trimmed. . The front side as usual a bit dusty rubbed with minor soil a feint discoloration above the trees on the left 1/3. Regardless the image & coloring are strong & impressive. . The print has been 're-backed' some time in its distant past using some old Washi paper which appears to have been an old signature samples sheet with other Fude bamboo brush & Sumi black ink writing. There are 2 small pin/tiny holes which are mended by the backing. . This was a common practice in the early 19th century. The work is now quite firm & solid. The backing paper is not visible from the front side. . Given the fact that is print is about 187 years old it is in better than the average condition. Please review the photos prior to ordering. . edition. It is in pristine condition excellent registry & impression about as good as it can get. . Copy 2: This is a circa 1920's reprint of the original edition. A pristine example UNUSED with superb impression and registry about as good as it can get. Ready for framing and display. . Color photos are posted to our website. . REFERENCES: . This print was exhibited at Le Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet July-October 2019. This print was offered at Sotheby's London: see Sothebys 2020/fine-japanese-art/utagawa- iroshige-i-1797-1858-four-prints-hodogaya This link shows our Hodogaya print as the top left example. Their estimate was about $993 per print in a group of 4. LANE Richard: IMAGES FROM THE FLOATING WORLD: THE JAPANESE PRINT: see p.229 for an excellent biography of Hiroshige PRINT INCLUDING AN ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF UKIYO-E: see p.232 #1 he cites: "55 Oban prints ca. 1833-34 publishers Hoeidoh & Senkakudoh." This print being #5 of the Tokaido series cited as #74 page 232 & illustration. See his p.230-31 for a map of the Tokaido station series. Wikipedia: Hiroshige I: TOKAIDO GOJU SAN TSUGI: See wikipedia for more info on 53 Stations of the Tokaido. unknown