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Please, help find the name of the artist

Just found another print with the same seal, if it helps ?

The prints you show have the signatures of 2 different artists. Here is the secret for getting help from this forum:

Provide as much information as possible:
1) Show the complete piece of art.
2) Show closeups of any identifying signatures/marks
3) Provide measurements (even some print repros are a different size than the original - we can help you tell whether it is decorative or a precious original)
4) Provide any known (or rumored) provenance (was the previous owner in China/Japan/Korea/etc. and when). How long have you owned the artifact?
5) What is the material? (ivory/stone/wood/etc.)

I'm being general here for other readers. You just need to provide those attributes that apply to prints. It amazes me that when people want help they provide information like it is giving secrets to the enemy.

Cheers,
Stan

The first print is called Snow at Ueno Shrine, and was made in 1929 - 1930 after Kawase Hasui. (I use to own that same print)

I do not know the title of the second one, but I recognize the style. I know you took that image from eBay, I am following that listing. Here is the link for Stan that needs the big blue sky, and to know that the owner's grand father was in Japan back then (Because if he was in the USA, there would be a made in Japan seal on the back):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-woodblock-print-of-a-woman-crossing-a-bridge/133313038411

Don't worry about adding the full image, both prints do not show on John Resig's database, therefore, Stan or many other reader won't be much help here :)

Mr Nagy, that has a lot of expertise and that can read pretty much everything, usually gives you a full and complete answer. So obviously, the name has to be bogus and doesn't match any known artist. That's probably why you didn't get an answer either.

I've look through the Artelino's database of name and seal ( https://www.artelino.com/forum/signatures.asp ) that has 655 entries, and I couldn't find it there too.

I was able to find in the Sandra Andracht's book a seal with two similar arrow, but not in a red circle that would read "Torii" but then again, I could not find any Shin hanga artist with such name.

What that tells me, is that the reason why you cannot find the artist, is that this was meant to be anonymous. The artist have hidden his name on purpose, because the first print is an obvious take on Hasui's Snow at Ueno Kiyomizudo print that was made during his lifetime, at a very specific time: 1929-1930

You will also notice that Hasui's was not published by Wanatabe Shozaburo, but by Sakai and Kawaguchi.

The second print is interesting indeed, because you can see the same seal, with a complete different signature. The format O-Hosoban, is very typical from Shotei's work while working with Wanatabe Shozaburo. The use of bogus signature too. The making of replica's too.

My controversial guess : Both prints are made from Shotei using a bogus name. Both prints may or may not have been published by Wanatabe Shozaburo, but definitely sold unofficially. These prints could have been the result of commercial war or jealousy back then, maybe on who publishes with who ? ( Although it could be a complete different motive, I am 60 % convinced it was printed by Shotei anonymously for a very good reason specifically at that period of time)

Sorry, here are the full pictures. Hope this helps.

I'll let Magicsteph take it from here. This is not my era. I try to stick to the Edo and, to some extent the Meiji, eras. I try to help when I can.

Cheers,
Stan

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