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October 2023

Japanese Paintings and Prints: 1910‒1935

October 4‒27, 2023 (Mon. to Fri.)
11 AM to 5 PM, by appointment only

17 East 76th Street, 3rd Floor,
New York 10021


Tel: 212-794-1522
Email: info@izzardasianart.com





October 2023 Exhibition

The fall exhibition at Sebastian Izzard LLC explores the world of Japanese prints in the first half of the twentieth century. This was an era of energy, new influences, and styles, and a refocusing of the Japanese print world by catering to new tastes.

The man at the center of this revival was the entrepreneurial genius Watanabe Shōzuburō (1885–1962), whose publications form the greatest portion of the works in this exhibition. Deeply interested in Edo period ukiyo-e, Watanabe made it his project to rescue the art form, which had fallen somewhat out of fashion. Blessed with a natural flair for business, a good eye, and a personable manner, he placed himself at the center of a team of newly recruited artists and craftsmen who worked in tandem, in this aspect resembling the great 18th and 19th century publishers Tsutaya Jūzaburō and Nishimuraya Yohachi. In doing so, he single-handedly created the Shin-hanga movement, recording the fashions of the day and the landscapes of Japan in the pre-war period, for the delectation of his market, both domestic and international. Watanabe worked with successful professional artists such as Yoshida Hiroshi (1876–1950) and Hashiguchi Goyō (1880?–1921), both of whom were trained in the Western manner and knew what appealed to foreign tastes. He later commissioned a very young Itō Shinsui (1898‒1972) to create beauty prints for him, and Kawase Hasui (1883‒1957) completed over five hundred landscape images for Watanabe before his death. Artists who were not represented by Watanabe are also featured in the exhibition. They include Takahashi Hiroaki (1871–1945), Kobayakawa Kiyoshi (1899–1948), and Torii Kotondo (1900–1976) whose beauty prints captured the stylish elegance of the Taishō era.

*A selection of these prints may be viewed on our website izzardasianart.com
*The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue.



YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Tomonoura Harbor (Tomonoura minato)

Oil on canvas; 19¾ x 28⅜ in. (50.2 x 72.1 cm); circa 1910
Signed: H. Yoshida
Stretcher inscribed: Tomonoura minato Yoshida Hiroshi, and Gekauft in Tokyo 1912 Yosida (sic) personlich gekannt H. Bohler (Purchased personally from Yoshida by H. Bohler in Tokyo in 1912)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi

Watercolor on paper; 26⅜ x 40⅛ in. (67 x 101.9 cm); circa 1910s
Signed: H. Yoshida

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

A Hunter’s Story (Ryōshi no hanasu)

Color woodblock print; 17⅞ x 13 in. (45.4 x 33 cm); dated Taishō 10 (1921)
Unsigned
Publisher: [Watanabe Shōzaburō]
Sealed Shizuri (trial, or proof print)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Sailing Boats — Midday (Hansen hinaka)

Color woodblock print; 18¾ x 13⅞ in. (47.6 x 35.2 cm); dated Taishō 10 (1921)
Unsigned
Publisher: [Watanabe Shōzaburō]
Sealed Shizuri (trial, or proof print)

HASHIGUCHI GOYŌ (1880?–1921)

Woman Applying Makeup (Keshō no onna)

Color woodblock print, with gold pigment highlights and mica ground: 21⅝ x 15¼ in. (54.9 x 38.7 cm); Taishō 7 (1918)
Signed: Goyō ga
Sealed: Goyō
Publisher: self-published
Block-cutter: [Takano Shichinosuke]
Printer: [Somekawa Kanzō]
Certification: Tokudai nijū go (Special edition, no. 20)

HASHIGUCHI GOYŌ (1880?–1921)

Woman Combing Her Hair (Kami sukeru onna)

Color woodblock print, with mica ground: 17⅝ x 13⅝ in. (54.9 x 38.7 cm); Taishō kyūnen sangatsu (Ninth year of Taishō, third month, 3/1920)
Signed: Goyō ga
Sealed: Goyō
Publisher: self-published
Block-cutter: [Takano Shichinosuke]
Printer: [Somekawa Kanzō]

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Before the Mirror (Taikyō)

Color woodblock print: 17⅜ x 11⅜ in. (44.1 x 28.9 cm); 7/1916
Signed: Shihitsu (trial brush) Shinsui
Sealed: Tatsumi
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (rectangular seal to the right of the date)
Certification seal on the verso reading Ip’pyakku gojū mai kagiri zeppan dai hyaku sanjūroku ban (No. 136 of an edition of 150)

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Woman of the Night (Yūjo)

Color woodblock print: 17¼x 9⅛in. (43.8 x 23.2 cm); dated Taishō gonen jūnigatsu (12/1916)
Signed: Shinsui
Sealed: Tatsumi
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō
Certification on the verso reading: Ip’pyaku mai kagiri zeppan dai sanjūhachi ban , (No. 38 of a limited edition of 100), followed by two square seals reading Hanmoto Watanabe

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

After a Bath (Yokugo)

Color woodblock print: 17⅜ x 11¾ in. (44.1 x 29.8 cm); dated Taishō rokunen ichigatsu (1/1917)
Signed: Shinsui
Sealed: Shinsui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small circular Watanabe seal lower right)
Certification in Japanese script verso reading: Shūsatsu gojūmai kagiri no uchi dai san go (limited edition of 50, number 3), with square seal reading Watanabe

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Spring (Haru)

Color woodblock print: 19⅞ x 11¾ in. (50.5 x 25.7 cm); Taishō roku nen, nigatsu (2/1917)
Signed: Shinsui
Sealed: Shinsui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō
Certification seal on the verso reading Surisatsu ip’pyaku mai kagiri no uchi dai nanajūhachi ban (No. 78 of an edition of 100); and a diamond stamp of S Watanabe of no. 11 Gorobei-chō, Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Passing Rain (Hideame)

Color woodblock print: 17⅜ x 12 in. (44.1 x 30.5 cm); 5/1917
Signed: Shinsui
Sealed: Shinsui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small rectangular seal lower left)
Certification seal on the verso reading Surizuri ip’pyaku mai kagiri no uchi dai gojūichi ban (No. 51 of an edition of 100). Diamond-shaped publisher’s stamp affixed to the lower right verso.

KAWASE HASUI (1883‒1957)

The Okane Road, Shiobara (Shiobara Okane-michi)

Color woodblock print: 18¾ x 7¼ in. (47.6 x 18.4 cm); Taishō shichi, aki (Seventh year of Taishō, autumn, [1918])
Signed: Hasui
Sealed: Hasui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small circular seal bottom right)

KAWASE HASUI (1883‒1957)

Shinkawa at Night (Yoru no Shinkawa)

Color woodblock print: 15⅜ × 10⅜ in. (39.1 x 26.4 cm); Taishō
hachi, shichi (Eighth year of Taishō, seventh month, [1919])
Series: Twelve Views of Tokyo (Tōkyō jūnidai)
Signed: Hasui
Sealed: Hasui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (circular seal lower right edge)

KAWASE HASUI (1883‒1957)

Evening Snow at Terajima Village (Yuki ni fururu Terajima mura)

Color woodblock print: 15¼ × 10⅜ in. (38.7 x 26.4 cm); Taishō kyū, fuyu (Ninth year of Taishō, winter, [1920])
Series: Twelve Views of Tokyo (Tōkyō jūnidai)
Signed: Hasui
Sealed: Hasui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (circular seal lower right corner)

KAWASE HASUI (1883‒1957)

Toyama Plain (Toyama hara)

Color woodblock print: 15⅛ × 10½ in. (38.4 x 26.7 cm); Taishō kyū, fuyu (Ninth year of Taishō, winter, [1920])
Series: Twelve Views of Tokyo (Tōkyō jūnidai)
Signed: Hasui
Sealed: Kawase
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (circular seal bottom right)

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Makeup (Keshō)

Color woodblock print: 17 x 10⅝ in. (43.2 x 27 cm); spring 1922 (Taishō jūichi nen haru)
Series: Twelve Forms of New Beauties (Shin bijin jūnishi)
Signed: Shinsui saku
Sealed: Itō
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small circular seal lower right)
Certification seal on the verso, reading Nihyaku mai kagiri zeppan dai sanjūichi ban (No. 31 of an edition of 200)

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Night snow (Yuki no yoru)

Color woodblock print: 17⅛ x 10⅜ in. (43.5 x 26.4 cm); January 1923 (Taishō jūninen, sugata)
Series: Twelve Forms of New Beauties (Shin bijin jūnishi)
Signed: Shinsui
Sealed: Itō
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small circular seal lower left side)
Certification seal on the verso, reading Nihyaku mai kagiri zeppan dai kyūjūgo ban (No. 95 of an edition of 200)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Sailing Boats (Hansen)

Set of six color woodblock prints, each slightly varying in size approx. 21⅛ x 15⅞ in. (53.7 x 40.3 cm); 1926
Series: Inland Sea Series (Seto naikai shū)
Each signed: Yoshida (in brush), Hiroshi Yoshida (in pencil)
Sealed: Hiroshi
Publisher: self-published (jizuri)
Block-cutter: [Maeda Yūjirō]

This set of six prints was part of a larger series of nine prints, and comprises:
a. Sailing Boat—Morning (Hansen asa) [illustrated]
b. Sailing Boat—Forenoon (Hansen gozen)
c. Sailing Boat—Afternoon (Hansen gogo)
d. Sailing Boat—Mist (Hansen kiri)
e. Sailing Boat—Evening (Hansen yü)
f. Sailing Boat—Night (Hansen yoru)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Kumoi Cherry Trees (Kumoi zakura)

Color woodblock print: 23 x 29⅛ in.
(58.4 x 74 cm); 1926
Signed: Yoshida (in brush), Hiroshi Yoshida (bottom left margin in pencil)
Sealed: Hiroshi
Publisher: self-published (jizuri)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Hodayama after Rain (Ugo No Hodakasan)

Color woodblock print; 24 x 31⅞ in. (61 x 81 cm); dated Shōwa 2 (1927)
Signed: Yoshida (in brush)
Sealed: jizuri (self-printed)

YOSHIDA HIROSHI (1876‒1950)

Rapid (Keiryü)

Color woodblock print: 25½ x 37 in.
(64.8 x 94 cm); Showa 3, 1928
Signed: Yoshida (in brush), Hiroshi Yoshida (in pencil)
Sealed: Sei ran
Publisher: self-published (jizuri)

ITŌ SHINSUI (1898‒1972)

Painting the Eyebrow (Mayuzumi)

Color woodblock print: 10⅞ x 15¾ in. (27.6 x 40 cm); Shōwa sannen ichigatsu (1/1928)
Signed: Shinsui ga
Sealed: Shinsui
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō (small circular seal on the right side)
Certification seal verso: Nihyaku mai kagiri zeppan dai jūyon ban (No.14 of an edition of 200)

KOBAYAKAWA KIYOSHI (1899–1948)

No. 1 Tipsy (Ichi: horoyoi)

Color woodblock print, with silver and mica details: 20⅝ x 12 in. (52.4 x 30.5 cm); Showa gonen nigatsu (fifth year of Showa, second month, 2/1930)
Signed: Kobayakawa Kiyoshi
Sealed: Kobayakawa
Series: Modern Fashions (Kindai jiseishō no uchi)
Publisher: self-published
Block cutter: Takano

TAKAHASHI HIROAKI (SHŌTEI) (1871‒1945)

Nude Playing with a Cat (Rafu neko jarashi)

Color woodblock print: 17 x 10⅞ in. (43.2 x 27.6 cm); circa 1927‒30
Signed: Hiroaki
Sealed: Hiroaki saku
Publisher: Fusui Gabō (Fusui workshop)
Printer: Ono Tomisaburō

TAKAHASHI HIROAKI (SHŌTEI) (1871‒1945)

Abalone Diver

Color woodblock print: 20⅞ x 14⅞ in. (53 x 37.8 cm); Showa roku nen hachigatsu (Showa sixth year, eighth month, 8/1931)
Signed: Hiroaki saku
Sealed: Hiroaki
Printer: Ono Tomisaburō (seal lower left)
Publisher: Fusui Gabō (Fusui workshop)

TORII KOTONDO (1900‒1976)

Morning Hair (Asanegami)

Color woodblock print: 19 x 11¾ in. (48.3 x 29.8 cm); 1930
Signed: Kotondo ga
Sealed: Shi
Publisher: Ikeda shoten (Ikeda publishing company)
Block cutter: Maeda Kentarō
Printer: Maejima
Edition stamp on the verso: Ikeda Asanegami dai nijūroku gō (Ikeda (publisher) Morning Hair, no. 26), sealed Torii