Archive for April 15th, 2025

Imao Keinen Japanese Woodblock Print -NONOCHORID, ARROW HEAD, SMALL JUNCUS

The Four Seasons Bird and Flower Albums (Keinen Kacho Gafu). Antique Japanese woodblock prints over 130 years old. Born in Kyoto in 1845, Imao Keinen studied painting and calligraphy with Umegata Tokyo and Suzuki Hyakunen. He taught at the Kyoto Prefecture School of Painting, and exhibited in shows in Japan and Paris. One of the most well-known Japanese painters of his time, he became a member of the Art Committee of the Imperial Household in 1904 and the Imperial Art Academy in 1919, both great honors. Keinen earned lasting fame for his beautiful bird and flower designs, or kacho-ga, painted with wonderful lifelike detail. Keinen’s most famous work, Keinen Kacho Gafu, is a stunning four-part work of woodblock prints of birds and flowers in the four seasons. Featuring stunning large birds and beautiful small songbirds against scenery like blossoming cherry branches or snow-covered trees, these are exceptional nature prints from the late 19th century. The birds are naturalistically presented in their native habitat, featuring beautiful Japanese plants and flowers. The series was published by Nishimura Soemon in four volumes of forty prints each, with the blocks carved by Tanaka Hirokichi and printed by Miki Jinzaburo. Woodblock Sheet size: approximately 9.5 x 13 inches. “Tipped” on top 2 corners only to backing paper: size about 13 1/8 x 18 1/2 inches. Please refer to images, as this is the exact print that you will receive. Adirondack Retro has been specializing in antique prints and ads for over twenty years. We offer a vast inventory of the some of the most significant artists of the 17th through the 20th centuries with an emphasis on Rare and Collectible Prints and Advertisements. We stand 100% behind the quality and authenticity of our products, and are. Obsessed with customer service and your satisfaction! These Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints may show expected age-related blemishes such as slight darkening of the edges, occasional minor soiling, spots or slight text transfer. Please carefully examine the photos for the actual condition of each print, as they are of the actual print that you will receive. The paper is blank on the back. All prints are guaranteed to be original and authentic. OUR ANTIQUE PRINT INVENTORY IS TRULY AMAZING… OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS EVEN BETTER! INVENTORY STOCK #: JAPAN-WB-8.
KUNICHIKA, Japanese woodblock prints, Keio 1865, Kabuki Actors, Backed, Triptych. 4391

KUNICHIKA, Japanese woodblock prints, Keio 1865, Kabuki Actors, Backed, Triptych. 4391

KUNICHIKA, Japanese woodblock prints, Keio 1865, Kabuki Actors, Backed, Triptych. 4391

KUNICHIKA, Japanese woodblock prints, Keio 1865, Kabuki Actors, Backed, Triptych. 4391

We offer discounted prices for orders of two or more items. Toyohara KUNICHIKA (18351900). Approx, 14″ x 9.69.7″ (35.6 x 24.4 24.7cm). Good for antiques, paper is a little damaged (with stains or wrinkles slightly and tiny holes) due to long periods or natural discoloration, but the color remains beautiful. Toyohara Kunichika was born on June 5, 1835 (Tenpo 6) as the second son of a bathhouse owner in Gorobeicho, Kyobashi, Edo (present-day Yaesu, Chuo Ward, Tokyo). It was in 1869 (Meiji 2) that Toyohara Kunichika showed his full potential. With the publisher Gusokuya Kahee, a jihon wholesaler, he produced ookubi-e (large-head paintings: a style of ukiyo-e that depicts a person’s face and chest above) of actors, and this series made Kunichika of Actor Pictures famous. In the same year, he also published a series of two- to three-panel ookubi-e. Later, his bold compositions of showing a half-body figure of an actor standing alone on a triptych screen became a hot topic. Toyohara Kunichika is said to have been the first to come up with this innovative style of ukiyo-e, and due to the large number of works he produced, it is highly regarded as a historical resource for learning about kabuki and theater from the Meiji period. Details and colors of the images might be slightly different from those of genuine products, due to the light or vary depending on your computer’s monitor settings.