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Subject:Hiroshige print, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi bridge and Atake
Posted By: Mikael Thu, Nov 02, 2017 IP: 213.141.87.18

I´ve recently bought a beautiful wood-cut print, and I am now curios to know if it is a "reprint" or a print from the artists lifetime.

What should i look after?

Best Regards

// Mikael







Subject:Re: Hiroshige print, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi bridge and Atake
Posted By: Mikael Fri, Nov 03, 2017

My print (left) does not have the silhouette of a building in the background. (If I take a closer look, it may be some traces of the missing building from a much worned block.



Subject:Re: Hiroshige print, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi bridge and Atake
Posted By: Stan Fri, Nov 03, 2017

The first thing I look at is the color red. Original prints of this vintage used vegetable dyes. Also, the reds tend toward orange with age and exposure to light. Strong, bright reds are a red flag. Also, the colors of your print are strong and saturated. Compare it to an original and you'll see what I mean. The colors of an original are softer.

Another thing to look at is the paper. An original print was printed in 1857. Your paper looks rather white for an original print that is 160 years old. The edges are very sharp and straight (like it was machine cut). Original mulberry paper is like heavy toilet tissue. It's hard to tell from here, but the texture doesn't look right.

You can then do a line-by-line comparison between your print and a known original and look for discrepancies. If you notice differences in the details of the print, it was not printed from the same blocks as an original. For example, the far shore is less ragged in your print and the trees are less defined and different.

I see enough red flags to call this a repro.

Cheers,
Stan

Subject:Re: Hiroshige print, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi bridge and Atake
Posted By: Mikael Wed, Nov 08, 2017

Thank You very much for Your response!

Regards.

// Mikael

Subject:Re: Hiroshige print, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi bridge and Atake
Posted By: Stan Fri, Nov 10, 2017

BTW, that doesn't mean it isn't worth much. Here is a 20th century repro at auction that has a bid of $380 on it.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/57400382_ando-hiroshige-woodblock-sudden-shower-on-ohashi-bridge

Cheers,
Stan


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