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.
