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Subject:Help Identifying 2 Japanese Paintings
Posted By: Marcella Mon, Sep 18, 2017 IP: 108.4.0.22

I found these two paintings at a yard sale and they appear to be originals. I don't know anything about Japanese art but was hoping for a little guidance.







Subject:Re: Help Identifying 2 Japanese Paintings
Posted By: I. Nagy Tue, Sep 19, 2017

These are japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints,

1st print,
Signature reads,
溪斎 英泉 画  Keisai Eisen Ga (Picture)
Keisai Eisen (1790-1848) is known from his pictures of beautiful women (Bijin-ga 美人画)
This print is one of the dozens of similar prints from him.

2nd print,
東海道五拾三次
Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road
(This is the so-called Sanoki or Kyouka-iri edition from 1840 or later print.
Kyouka means "mad poems" - written on each prints)
吉原
Yoshiwara
左リ富士、縄手 Fuji on the left at Nawate

Kyouka in my translation reads,
行来する   Yukuki suru
人のいく度 hito no ikutabi
詠めても yomete mo
あしと ashi to
思わぬ omowanu
富士は Fuji wa
吉原 Yoshiwara
   榮寿堂金信 Eijudo Kanenobu   
I do not mind how many times was it versed by passers-by,
Fuji is Yoshiwara
(Best view of Fuji is from Yoshiwara)
Eijudo Kanenobu is a name and serves as a pun at the end. 
On the far left is the signature of artist
廣重 画  Hiroshige Ga (picture)

With regards,
I.Nagy 




Subject:Re: Help Identifying 2 Japanese Paintings
Posted By: Stan Tue, Sep 19, 2017

Your Japanese woodblock prints are as follows:

1) Keisai Eisen - Part of a triptych titled "Three Geisha Standing Beneath Flowering Cherry Trees". Here is a copy at the FAMSF:

http://art.famsf.org/keisai-eisen/three-geisha-standing-beneath-flowering-cherry-trees-1963305009abc

2) Hiroshige I - Station 15, Yoshiwara, from the Kyoka Edition of the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. The Boston MFA has a copy here:

http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/yoshiwara-fuji-on-the-left-at-nawate-yoshiwara-hidari-fuji-no-nawate-from-the-series-fifty-three-stations-of-the-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-road-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-goj%C3%BBsan-tsugi-also-known-as-the-ky%C3%B4ka-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-177995

Cheers,
Stan

URL Title :Yoshiwara


Subject:Re: Help Identifying 2 Japanese Paintings
Posted By: Marcella Lee Thu, Sep 21, 2017

Hi Stan,

Thank you so much for this thorough reply!!! This is incredible :-).

Sincerely,

Marcella

Subject:Re: Help Identifying 2 Japanese Paintings
Posted By: Stan Fri, Sep 22, 2017

...and I appreciate I.Nagy's translation of the poem on the Yoshiwara print.

Cheers,
Stan


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