GROUP EXHIBITION
7 FEBRUARY – 8 MARCH 2025
JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTS
Gallagher & Turner are pleased to present an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints, from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition showcases works from the Edo, Meiji and Shin-Hanga eras, and features artists such as Kunisada, Kunichika, Hirosada and many more.
The works in this exhibition are examples of the Ukiyo-e art form; a high-water mark period in the history of Japanese woodblock printing. Ukiyo-e translates to “pictures of the floating world” and references the urban lifestyle of the Ukiyo era in Edo period Japan (1600 – 1867).
The movement has its origins in the city of Edo (modern day Tokyo), where, following the city’s rapid economic growth, craftsmen and workers from the lower social classes began to see an upturn in their fortunes, freeing up their time and money. Ukiyo-e artists began to depict scenes from the hedonistic culture that arose around them, and which they experienced themselves. Their prints showcased kabuki theatre, geisha and courtesans – as well as the beauty of the natural world around their cities.
Prints were produced widely, and included in books, scrolls or as loose sheets for decoration. Artists, who designed the works, began working with carvers, printers and publishers to produce and promote their pieces more widely. Designs would be copied and transferred on to cherry wood – favoured for its consistency and fine grain. For black and white prints, one block would be carved, but for multicoloured prints separate blocks for each colour would need to be made. The blocks were then inked up, and a handmade paper (often made from the bark of mulberry trees) laid over the top. A pad would then be rubbed on the back of the paper, thus creating the print. Ukiyo-e works would be printed by hand, meaning artists were able to achieve effects that machine printing could not – such as the characteristic gradation of colours you see in Bokashi printing.
The works on show span three centuries and highlight the range of subject matter and styles across the Ukiyo-e artists across Japan. The art form has created some of the world’s most enduring imagery, are highly collectable, and remains influential to artists and printmakers to this very day.
AVAILABLE WORKS
Courtesan Takigawa of Ogiya
Utamaro (1750 -1806)
Woodblock, 20th Century reprint
Mounted
Image size: 29 × 19.5cm
Mounted: 46 × 36cm
Utamaro reprint showing the courtesan Takigawa of the Ogiya House just after a bath. She pats the back of her neck dry with the sleeve of her tie-dyed cotton kimono. Beautifully detailed with fine line work in the hair. A charming design showing a young woman in a private moment. In the early 20th century, the Yuyudo publishing house had already distinguished themselves as one of the finest publishers in Japan. In the 1950's, as interest Edo era woodblock prints was reigniting, Yuyudo embarked upon a project to produce reprints by the great masters from the Golden Age of Ukiyo-e
Summer Group, Four Seasons 1891
Imao Keinen (1845-1924)
Woodblock original
Mounted
Image size: 32 × 22cm
Mounted: 48.5 × 38.5cm
Imao Keinen and the woodblocks of the four seasons - Imao Keinen is a noted woodblock print artist from the late 19th century specialising in birds and flowers subjects. His lovely woodblock prints are naturalistic representations of birds in their native habitat and the beautiful Japanese flora. These are all first edition, original prints from the 1891 release of "Keinen Kacho Gafu"
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko on a Bridge
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Charming scene of a maiko or apprentice geisha crossing a bridge in winter, snow blanketing the railings. She carries an umbrella and wears a floral kimono tied with a red obi with a bold leaf pattern. Nice shading on the water and sky.
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko at the Silver Pavilion in Winter
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted/unframed
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Attractive portrait of a maiko or apprentice geisha at the Silver Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan.
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko on a Verandah
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted/unframed
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Charming portrait of a maiko or apprentice geisha enjoying the view from a verandah on a winter night. Snow covers the railings and blankets the trees in the distance, a red pagoda adding a colorful accent against the evening sky. She wears a green floral print kimono, tied with an obi that features cranes in flight and streaks of metallic gold pigment. An attractive design.
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko on a Snowy Day
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Attractive portrait of a maiko or apprentice geisha looking out the window on a snowy day, one hand resting on the shoji panel. She wears a violet kimono with a yellow design, tied with an orange obi that features folding fans. A red shrine building can be seen in the distance. A charming winter image, nicely detailed with accents of dark gold metallic pigment on the obi
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko on a Moonlit Night
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Charming scene of a maiko or apprentice geisha enjoying a evening stroll in winter. A bridge stretches across the river with rooftops lining the opposite shore, a yellow moon glowing in the night sky. An attractive design, detailed with accents of dark gold metallic pigment on the obi.
Unknown Shin Hanga artist C20th
Maiko at the Silver Pavilion
Japanese Woodblock, 20th Century original
Mounted/unframed
Image: 15 × 9.5cm
Mounted: 28 × 34cm
Attractive portrait of a maiko or apprentice geisha visiting Ginkakuji or the Silver Pavilion in Kyoto. She pauses along the edge of the pond with an umbrella in hand, looking across the water at the temple, shadows falling across the shore. A handsome design, detailed with accents of dark gold metallic pigment on the obi.
Choki
Tsukasa-Dayu of the Hiaashi-Ogiya
Woodblock
38 x 26cm
Framed
Beautiful old reprint portrait of the courtesan Tsukasa-dayu from the Shinmachi pleasure district in Osaka. She holds her kimono sleeve up to her face as she looks over her shoulder, smiling slightly. Elegantly drawn with flowing line work and delicate embossed detail in the tie-dyed under robe, with a dusting of mica over the background. A classic ukiyo-e beauty design, rarely seen in reprint.
In the 20th century, artists and publishers collaborated to recreate famous woodblock prints for interested Japanese collectors and Westerners looking for rare designs. New blocks were made, and the prints were painstakingly printed by artisan printers in the same method as the 19th century originals - one block for each colour. Woodblock reprints are an opportunity to collect and enjoy a famous design at a small fraction of the price of an original.
Kunichika (1835 - 1900)
Angry Samurai
Woodblock, Meji era
34.8 x 22.8cm (image)
Framed
Fine printing in good condition with strong, bright colours. Framed in a thin, black gloss frame.
Kabuki portrait of a samurai looking over his shoulder with an angry grimace, a fan between his hands. He wears a brown kamishimo over a blue kimono with white bands, each featuring a crest of two arrow Metches. His tall black court cap has golden yellow antlers and his crest on it.
Katsoshika Hokuun (1804-44)
Beauty Playing a Hand Drum surimono
Japanese woodblock reprint
21 x 17.7 cm
Framed
Surimono are an exclusive category of Japanese woodblock prints. Poetry clubs commissioned these designs for distribution to a small audience of members, most often as New Year’s greetings. These privately published images included a wonderful range of subjects and lavish printing techniques such as embossing, burnishing and metallic pigments. SInce they were not sold commercially, the print runs were very small and original Edo era surimono are incredibly rare in the market today. This reprint offers a great way to collect a classic design at a more reasonable price.
Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)
Courtesan with Lantern
Woodblock reprint, 20th century
24 x 36.8cm (image)
Framed
Fine printing in with strong, vibrant colours and lovely patterns.
Hirosada (Active 1820 - 1863)
Kabuki Actor Portrait, 1848
Woodblock
23 x 17cm (image)
42.5 x 35cm (frame)
Fine printing in excellent condition.
Hirosada (c. 1848)
Kabuki Actor Portrait
Woodblock
24.1 x 17.8cm (image)
Framed
Framed in black gloss hockey.
Ukiyo-e printmaking dates from the 17th Century, with early prints being black and white; colour coming in as dyes and pigments were morereadily available, and prints were made by carving more than one block. The prints were finely carved from hardwood with enormous skill, but were not percieved as fine art, being produced by the thousand as commercial art. As the prints became older, many have been destroyed and not respected for the skill they represent, making surviving prints in good condition very rare and collectable.
Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786-1864)
Nakamura Shikan as Inuzuka Shino
Woodblock, 1863
35.5 x 24.7cm (image)
Framed
Great kabuki portrait of Nakamura Shikan as Inuzuka Shino, one of the Eight Dog Warriors, battling atop the roof of the Horyukaku, a tower of Koga castle. His feet spread firmly apart on the tiled roof, he grips his sword with both hands, a determined frown on his face. A row of lanterns can be seen along the bottom edge, and a full moon glows in the night sky.
Kunichika (1835-1900)
Sawamura Tossho as Man Swinging a Sword, 1868 (from Thirty Two Leaves of Good and Evil)
36.1 x 23.4 cm (image)
Framed
A rarely seen early Kunichika work from the “Thirty Two Leaves of Good and Evil” series, which featured bold portraits of kabuki actors (in either good or evil roles) set against blue borders and floral backdrops.
Tokuriki (1902 - 1999)
Plum Trees at Kitano Shrine 1936
Woodblock, 20th Century original
Framed
image 10 5/8” x 9 1/2/’ (inches)
Tokuriki (1902 - 1999)
Night Cherry Blossoms 1936
Woodblock, 20th Century original
Framed
image 10 5/8” x 9 1/2/’ (inches)
Imao Keinen (1845 - 1924)
Summer Group 1891, dyptich
Woodblock, 20th Century original
unframed, mounted
image 12 1/2” x 17 3/4’ (inches) plus margins
Keinen's most famous work is titled "Keinen Kacho Gafu"; and was a stunning four-part work of woodblock prints of birds and flowers in the four seasons. These woodblock prints were full oban vertical subjects in a natural soft color palette. This dyptich featuring a group of summer swallows, these are exceptional nature prints from the 19th century. These arel first edition, original prints from the 1891 release of "Keinen Kacho Gafu
Yamakawa Shuho (1898 - 1944)
Dusk
Woodblock, 20th Century original
Framed
image 9 1/2” x 6 3/8’ (inches) plus margins
Lovely shin-hanga portrait of a pensive beauty. She wears a blue and white print kimono with an obi tied tightly around her waist, and holds a round fan. Beautifully printed with a shimmering mica background and embossed lines on the fan. This chuban-sized version of Shuho's "Dusk" was published in 1974 by the Ukiyo-e Hanga Publishing Society.
Kunichika (1835-1900)
Scene from Hototogisu Amayo no Minoska, 1869
Original Japanese woodblock triptych, scene from the kabuki play. Gofukuya Shinsuke threatens the geisha Miyokushi while restrained from behind. She cowers in fright and tries to push a long letter towards him. Wakai mono Umekichi watches with an evil grin.
14 1/8 x 28 1/2 inches (image)
Framed
Sumida River in Snow, Winter
Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)
Woodblock reprint, 20th century
Mounted
Image size: 42 × 14cm
Reprint by the publisher Takamizawa . Takamizawa was known as one of the finest reprint publishers of the 20th century. Winter scene of a heavy snow falling over the Sumida River in Edo. A lone boatman poles his raft through the dark blue water, snow falling all around him. Beautiful composition with wonderful use of the vertical format, nicely detailed with fine bokashi shading on the water and sky.
Information for buyers