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Since Adirondack Retro acquired Darvill's Rare Prints in August of 2022, we have been working tirelessly on our New State-Of-The Art Website. We are excited to announce that it is now up and running and that our massive inventory of Antique Prints and Rare Maps are being transferred over to the new site daily. In addition to the nearly 500,000 prints found on www.DarvillsRarePrints.com, Adirondack Retro offers an eclectic selection of Antique and Vintage Advertisements along with their Limited Edition Giclee Prints. During this transition, customers will still be able to shop and make purchases on www.DarvillsRarePrints.com.

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Darvill's Rare Prints is pleased to offer these authentic 19th-century
Japanese Woodblock prints by Hiroshige and other famous Japanese artists.

 

 

Title: 

The Fifty-Three Pairs for the Tokaido Road
Tokaido Gojusan Tsugi Hodogaya


Otherwise known as 53 Parallels for the Tokaido Road

Date: 

circa 1845-1846

Publisher: 

Ibasen, Ibakiu and others

Format: 

Oban tataye (9 5/8 inches by 14 1/4 inches, with original fold as issued. Woodblock prints are "tipped" (adhered at top 2 corners only) to a grey backing folder, as originally issued.

Notes: 

This series pertains to the traditions and historical characters associated with the Stations of the Tokaido by Hiroshige, Kunisada (signed Toyokuni) and Kuniyoshi.
Otherwise known as 53 Parallels for the Tokaido Road.

Condition:

See each image. Many have at least some trimming, with some being substantially trimmed, as originally issued circa 1845-1846.
Click on the thumbnail image below for an enlarged image to assess the condition.

 

The Fifty-Three Pairs for the Tokaido Road
Tokaido Gojusan Tsugi Hodogaya

Kuniyoshi Station 2 Shinagawa
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #1]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 2, SHINIGAWA
Scene: Hirai Gompachi and Komurasaki at Suzuga mori

Kuniyoshi Station 2 Shinagawa
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #2]

TOYOKUNI

Station 4, KANAGAWA
Scene: Woman fishing

Kuniyoshi Station 4 FUJISAWA
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #3]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 7, FUJISAWA
Scene: Oguri Kojiro showing his wife, Terute-no-hime, that he is cured

$200

 

Kuniyoshi Station 4 FUJISAWA
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #4]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 13, NUMAZU

SOLD

 

 

14/2 Hara by HIroshige
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #5]

HIROSHIGE

Station 14/2, HARA

Kuniyoshi Station 15 YOSHIWARA BY KUNIYOSHI
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #6]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 15, YOSHIWARA
Divided by the Fujikawa were encamped the rival hosts of Heike and Genji

SOLD

 

 

20 FUCHU by HIroshige
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #7]

HIROSHIGE

Station 20, FUCHU
Scene: Girls picking tea at Fuchu. Top image is the river Abegawa.

21 MARUKO by HIroshige
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #8]

HIROSHIGE

Station 21, MARUKO
Senju-no Mae singing and dancing before Shigehira

$250

 

Kuniyoshi Station 15 YOSHIWARA BY KUNIYOSHI
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #9]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 23, FUJIEDA
Scene: Rensho-hoshi seeks lodging

SOLD

 

Kuniyoshi Station 15 YOSHIWARA BY KUNIYOSHI
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #10]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 38, FUJIKAWA
Fujikawa Mizuyemon and the precious sword called Naga Mitsu. Embossing on white undertunic on figure at right.

$225

 

Kuniyoshi Station 40 CHIRYU KUNIYOSHIOSHI
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #11]

KUNIYOSHI

Station 40, CHIRYU
The poet Ariwara no Narihira

SOLD

 

48, SEKI, by HIroshige
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #12]

HIROSHIGE

Station 48, SEKI
Scene: the priest Ikkyu and the courtesan Jigoku

tokugawa heroes by unju
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #13]

UNJU

TOKUGAWA HEROES (NOT PART OF THE ABOVE TOKAIDO PAIRS SERIES)
[PART OF A DIPTYCH OR TRIPTYCH; OTHER PANELS ARE NOT AVAILABLE]

$50

 
 

'Setsugekka', in English usually called 'Snow, Moon and Flower', is a major print series by the Meiji artist Chikanobu Toyoharu. This article describes the series and the historical classification with the Meiji era.

Setsugekka - Snow, Moon and Flowers

The series 'Setsugekka' was published between 1884 and 1886 by different publishers. It consists of 50 sheets. The title of the series - Setsugekka - Snow, Moon and Flowers - goes back to an old Chinese poem. Snow, moon and flowers stand as an analogy to the 4 seasons. But the narrative of the series is not a contemplation on the 4 seasons. The 'leitmotif' of the series are rather events from Japanese history and mythology,and for some designs also from the Chinese history.

Those who are a bit familiar with Japanese prints from the Meiji era will see some parallels with the series of 'Hundred Aspects of the Moon', by Yoshitoshi (Taiso) Tsukioka, another great print designer of the Meiji period. Both series deal with Japan's past.

This looking back as a key note of Setsugekka and the Hundred Aspects of the Moon is not a coincidence. The 'leitmotif' of these 2 series was not the result of a sudden stroke of genius by the 2 designers, Chikanobu and Yoshitoshi. It was rather the demand of the market, the taste of the common public, i.e. the potential buyer for these prints, that defined the subject of new prints.

Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) has always been produced for the market, and the market were the common people of Edo (Tokyo) and other metropolises like Osaka, Kyoto or Yokohama. After the establishment of the Western-oriented Meiji government under the formal presentation of the young emperor Meiji, a new nationalism and pride in Japan's history had gained the upperhand among the Japanese public. And there was another reason that spurred a new interest in Japan's past. The old censorship laws of the Tokugawa shogunate that had made it impossible for ukiyo-e artists and publishers to make designs referring to actual historic events or personalities, had been abolished by the Meiji government.

All these factors encouraged ukiyo-e publishers and artists to create prints with themes from Japan's 'glorious' past. The Setsugekka series must be seen against this historic background.

Who was Chikanobu?

Chikanobu Toyohara was born in 1838 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, into a samurai family with the given name of Hashimoto. He served as a retainer at the shogun's court. After the breakdown of the shogunate, Chikanobu needed a new job to make a living. He decided for an artist career. Before the breakdown of the shogunate he was trained in Kano school painting and later at studios of the ukiyo-e masters Kuniyoshi, Kunisada and Kunichika Toyohara (a print designer with the same name but different from the later Meiji master Kunichika Toyohara (1835-1900). Hashimoto took both the last name and the second part of his master's first name as his new artist name and became Chikanobu Toyohara.

During his lifetime Chikanobu designed prints in a wide variety of genres - basically everything that had good prospects to sell in the market. Chikanobu was able to combine retrograde themes with modern Western style elements like a new way to display clouds or mist, which at the early 20th century was further developed by the shin hanga art movement.

Chikanobu died in 1912.

Setsugekka - Snow, Moon and Flowers - by Chikanobu Toyohara

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA Shimousa Setsu Getsu Ka
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #14]

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA

Title

Shimousa - Setsu Getsu Ka


From the series, 'Setsu Getsu Ka' (Snow Flower Moon), one of Chikanobu's best series.

Shimousa. Snow at Iwahashi. Kinouchi Sogoro.

Tipped-On (adhered) to backing paper at 2 upper corners, as issued.
Size of paper on which woodblock is printed: 9 3/4 x 14 3/4

Condition: very good. paper has become detached on upper left 'tip-on' point, the right side is just holding. There is a pinkish smear in the upper margin which would be covered when the print is mounted/matted for framing.

 
 

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA Edo Setsu Getsu Ka
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #15]

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA

Title

Edo - Setsu Getsu Ka


From the series, 'Setsu Getsu Ka' (Snow Flower Moon), one of Chikanobu's best series.

Courtesan Urasato was tied up to a tree on a snowy night. Her lover, Tokijiro and girl Midori are trying to rescue her.

Tipped-On (adhered) to backing paper at 2 upper corners, as issued.
Size of paper on which woodblock is printed: 9 3/4 x 14 3/4

Condition: very good to excellent. Please refer to large scan by clicking on the image above.

 

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA 16 Flute Player and Koto Player Setsu Getsu Ka
(CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGE FOR ENLARGEMENT)

[REF #16]

CHIKANOBU TOYOHARA

Title

Flute Player and Koto Player - Setsu Getsu Ka


From the series, 'Setsu Getsu Ka' (Snow Flower Moon), one of Chikanobu's best series.

 'Yamashiro; Moon'. Renowned musician Kogo responds to Nakakuni's flute with her koto music while she was in exile in a hut at Soga moor in Yamashiro.

Tipped-On (adhered) to backing paper at 2 upper corners, as issued.
Size of paper on which woodblock is printed: 9 3/4 x 14 3/4

Condition: excellent. Please refer to large scan by clicking on the image above.

 
 

More vintage and antique Japanese Woodblock prints and other Asian/Oriental art