Category Archives: Polychrome woodblock print

Large and Small Fish Swimming Among Shells and Moss at the Bottom of the Sea

Large and Small Fish Swimming Among Shells and Moss at the Bottom of the Sea by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (Japanese, active ca. 1799–1823).

Shinsai was a Hokusai student and he ranks as one of the earliest surimono designers to render subjects other than people, for example the print published towards the end of his career entitled Koi yama (‘Carp float ( yama is the abbreviation of yamaboko, meaning ‘float’); 1820; Dublin, Chester Beatty Lib.).

Shells and Moss at the Bottom of the Sea

 

Link:

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/54379?rpp=20&pg=2&ao=on&ft=fish&where=Japan&pos=26

Uba

Uba by Shibata Zeshin (Japanese, 1807–1891).

Uba means “old woman, wet nurse”.  She is  the spirit of the pine tree in Japan. She and her husband Jo (“love”) symbolize marital love and fidelity.

Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891) is history’s greatest lacquer artist, recognized worldwide for his exquisitely detailed lacquered boxes, panels, sword mounts, and other objects, as well as scrolls painted in both ink and lacquer. In addition to his mastery of traditional techniques, Zeshin developed a range of daring new lacquer textures and finishes imitating rusty iron, rough seas, patinated bronze, and even the delicate grain of Chinese rosewood.

Uba

The link:

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/56724

Roses and Bamboo with Nightingale

Buongiorno!

Today’s watercolor is a copy of a woodblock print (surinomo (1)) made by Teisei Hokuba.

Hokuba, who often signed his name Teisei Hokuba, was born and lived in Edo. He was one of the most successful pupils of the great master Katsushika Hokusai (1760 – 1849).  He was a  prolific artist, almost up to his teacher’s caliber.

He was a very good ukiyo-e painter, as well as printmaker and illustrator. He designed many surimono and a number of illustrations for poetry (kyoka (2)) books and novels, and is known mainly for his paintings of beauties (bijin-ga).

Although he was very prolific,  no attempt has been made so far to document his large body of work. So any information about him is welcome.

DP139033

Here is the link to the original:

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/54145

(1) Surinomo beeing privately published prints

(2) Kyοka beeing mad or satirical illustrated poems