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I bought my first pillar print (and my first Kiyonaga print) this past week. I expect it was printed circa 1785. Is the subject just a fisherman, an actor, or something else? I haven't found this print in any of my normal sources.

Cheers,
Stan

I was in a rush to get out the door and forgot to attach the picture. The picture came out darker than the print.

Cheers,
Stan

Nice catch Stan. It's a depiction of Ebisu, one of the Seven Gods of Fortune ('shichi fukujin') and a typical subject for hashira-e from around that period. Actually, these pillar prints were hanging up in Japanese houses, reason why condition is often poor.
You should have restored this one by a professional.

BTW: the standard reference book for pillar prints is 'The Japanese Pillar Print: Hashira-e' by Jacob Pins (expensive and unfortunately not in my possession).

Guy.

Guy,

Thank you for the information. I expected it was something like that (which is why I asked).

Believe it or not, this was a consolation prize. I went to an auction with a few hundred dollars to bid with. I was actually shooting for lots with 2 or 3 original Hokusai Fuji series or Bridge series prints in fair to good condition. This lot was the last Japanese print lot and I exceeded my few hundred dollar limit a little. The lot included two other prints.

If I get some time, I'll tell the tale.

Cheers,
Stan

I promised a tale...

I haven't had much money to buy prints lately. The only prints I've bought recently were a Kunichika for less than $20 and three somewhat ratty prints for $51.52 (Kunisada II, Kuniyoshi, and Yoshitora).

I had stopped watching local auctions. About 2 weeks ago I was bored and flipped through the local auction calendar and I came across an auction from the Connecticut estate of the heirs of an American artist, J. Alden Weir. There were three auctions. The 2nd was an art auction of his engravings. It was 206 lots and 11 were Japanese prints. The interesting thing was that there was to be no online bidding nor any phone bids. That meant that just the people in the room would be able to bid. My hope was that, with so few Japanese prints, a print crazed bidder with a few hundred dollars (me) could get a deal. About 10 of the prints in the lots were Hokusai prints.

I drove 45 minutes to the preview, spent 15 minutes taking pix of the prints, then drove 45 minutes home. I convinced myself that the Hokusai prints were original and was so excited I nearly wet myself. I roped my wife into going by promising to try to buy a Hokusai Fuji print and offering her dinner at Warren's Lobster House.

We sat through 122 lots of American art (including one Durer woodcut that I dearly would have liked to own) waiting for the Japanese prints. I bid on nearly every Japanese print lot but was really holding my fire for Lot #132 which included 2 Hokusai Fuji prints and a Hiroshige. Unfortunately, it went for $2000 - $3000 or about 10X what I had to spend. I had only one Japanese print lot left - my second choice with the Kiyonaga pillar print. I won it with a $450 bid (plus 10% buyer's premium). It was more than I wanted to spend, but what can you do.

The lot included a Hiroshige (Station #37 (Miyanokoshi) of 69 Stations of the Kisokaido Road) and a Hoku-ju of (I assume) the Ryogoku Bridge. Regrettably, these two are adhered to 2 foot by 3 foot light cardboard. I don't know who ever thought that was a good idea.

Auction:

http://maineestateappraisal.hibid.com/catalog/76776/ct-estate-auction---session-2---artwork----may-20th-at-5-00/

Cheers,
Stan





URL Title :Auction

Well, he's wearing a kazaori eboshi, or pointed hat, and there is a red sea bream there, so I would say he is definitely Ebisu!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebisu_%28mythology%29

It's a cool print!!

Fujin,

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

It is a cool print. The lot was my second choice at the auction.

Cheers,
Stan

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