Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries


Visitors' Forum

Asian Art  Forums - Detail List
Asian Art Forums

Message Listing by Date:
Message Index | Back | Post a New Message | Search | Private Mail | FAQ
Subject:Antique Hiroshige Woodblock Signature details, etc.
Posted By: Skippy Thu, Dec 13, 2018 IP: 2600:1700:9981:47b0:

We know this is an antique Woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) - "Nisaka" from the series "Fifty-Three stations of the Tokaido" Outside of frame measure 14 inches high by 19 1/2 inches wide.

The red chop seals below the calligraphy are embossed into the paper.

Can anyone shed any light on the markings or point to a scholarly source for the seal on bottom right? Thank you in advance.







Subject:Re: Antique Hiroshige Woodblock Signature details, etc.
Posted By: Stephane Jardonnet Thu, Dec 13, 2018

The seal on the side is from Wanatabe Shozaburo Printing company. They opened their business in the early 1910's.

Your print is a replica made after Hiroshige between 1930 and 1950

Subject:Re: Antique Hiroshige Woodblock Signature details, etc.
Posted By: Stan Thu, Dec 13, 2018

Given the quality of your photos, I can't be certain, but I believe your print is not an original but a later repro. The seal in question doesn't appear on original prints at the Boston MFA:

https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/nissaka-sayo-mountain-pass-nissaka-sayo-no-nakayama-from-the-series-fifty-three-stations-of-the-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-road-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-goj%C3%BBsan-tsugi-no-uchi-also-known-as-the-first-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-or-great-t%C3%B4kaid%C3%B4-232718

Your photo is too poor to determine what the seal in question is. Perhaps, try to take closeup of the seal and post it here.

Cheers,
Stan

Subject:Re: Antique Hiroshige Woodblock Signature details, etc.
Posted By: geo. Thu, Dec 13, 2018

It's a little hard to see without my glasses, but it looks to be the Watanabe seal. Watanabe is a modern publisher of Ukiyo-e and other woodblock prints. I believe they were founded in 1906.


Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |