9/18/2023 0 Comments Moku hanga landscape![]() This impression, as well as an impression with the 6mm round seal in MFA, Boston which was purchased from a collector in 1935, belies that truism. 7mm, it is usually regarded as posthumous). Thus, if a design that was first issued in the late 1920s or 1930s has a 6mm round seal it has been usually identified as a post-war printing (in contrast, if the round seal is similar but slightly larger, approx. The round seal then returns to use around the time of the conclusion of the war (during which print production had dramatically decreased). The 6mm seal is found on impressions of Hasui prints up until at least the mid-1920s, before changing regulations necessitated the introduction of a variety of longer copyright seals usually found in the margins. ![]() This impression has perhaps the most interesting combination of seals, the much-coveted wide rectangular ‘A’ (Hotei ‘B’) seal in the left margin, and Watanabe’s 6mm round seal discretely placed beneath the window at the far left which departs from our general (and sometimes erroneous) understanding of their use. Most variations are questions of connoisseurship and personal preference and cannot be relied upon solely as indicators dating of a specific impression. In addition, different impressions emphasize the contrast of the shadows in the background and employ more or less grey sujizuri (swirling baren marks) in the snow. The color of the figure's scarf ranges from purple to blueberry (possibly due to the loss of eosine pink from the original purple color), and the color of the figure's inner sleeve and hem range from rosy-pink to a red hue matching the temple, which ranges from brick red to a deep red. That said, there are very subtle differences in how the blocks were handled by the printers which could be taken into consideration when evaluating an impression. One detectable change to the blocks is that the pattern of snowflakes seen on the figure’s scarf changes at some point, presumably somewhat late in the lifetime of the blocks. Recognizing that Watanabe issued several print runs in a short period of time, a comparison of examples reveals remarkably few differences in impressions, a testament to the extraordinary skill of the carvers and printers. Utilizing a large pool of images has resulted in the abandonment of most theories regarding which differences indicates earlier or later printings. An attempt to correlate numerous published images available in books in our library (which is large but by no means complete) and online from various sources including museums, galleries and auctions houses, has both clarified and undone our understanding of this print. This steady climb to fame began at its inception, it was a great success when Watanabe released it as the first print in the Twenty Views of Tokyo series which was published between 19.Ī popular print in its own time which has reached near-iconic status in ours, differentiating between the quality of impressions is increasingly important but remains all the more challenging because of Watanabe’s incredibly high standards of production. In recent years this print has vaulted from Hasui's most popular print, to the most famous shin-hanga landscape, and most recently, possibly one of the most recognizable Japanese woodblock prints of all, achieving its status as an icon of the genre in just under a century. Signed Hasui with artist's seal Kawase, the publisher's round Watanabe (Hotei 'A') seal within the composition above the signature, and rectangular (Hotei 'B') seal on the left margin, Hanken shoyu Watanabe Shozaburo (Copyright ownership Watanabe Shozaburo), followed by the print title Shiba Zojoji, and the date below, Taisho juyonen saku (Taisho 14 )
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