JAPANESE PRINT - MOON
A superb Japanese woodcut of a thin early evening moon in a grey sky framed amid a tracery of foliage
JAPANESE PRINT-BLUE BIRD
An exotic blue finch, tit or warbler sits on a thin twig surrounded by autumnal leaves
JAPANESE PRINT - MOTH
A small moth takes pollen from the centre of a bright pink flower in this vivid Japanese woodcut print
JAPANESE PRINT - MOTHS
Two small white moths fly toward some leaves enveloped in a raft of delicate mist
JAPANESE PRINT - BEE
A solitary wasp or bee rests on the thin dangling tendrils handing down from the branches of Japanese Catalpas plant
JAPANESE PRINT - FLOWERS
A patch of flowering plants with delicate white blooms in this attractive Japanese woodcut print
JAPANESE PRINT - BIRD
A small tit, warbler or songbird perches on the thin stalk of a exotic plant with purple leaves
JAPANESE PRINT-STARLING
A starling sits on a delicate perch looking toward the hanging fruit of the snake gourd plant
JAPANESE PRINT - FLOWER
A fine Japanese woodcut depicting the stages of development of a budding flower
JAPAN/KYOTO GEISHAS 1935
Kyoto: geishas at the Heian Shrine Gardens
Hiroshige - 53 Stations of the Tokaido - Print 39
39 Okazaki - A daimyo's cortge crossing the bridge over the Yahagi River towards the village and castle on the further bank; in the background a blue hill, printed from colour blocks only. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was born in the castle shown in the prints. The bridge over the Yahagi River, flowing west of the castle, was the largest on the entire highway. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858). The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido - Hoeido edition (1831-4)
JAPANESE PRINT - CROW
A black crow flies through this fantastic Japanese woodcut print, passing the leaves of a ginkgo plant
GEISHA/INSTRUMENTS/C1900
Three geisha, in informal kimono: one practises on her shamisen whilst another reads.
Hiroshige - 53 Stations of the Tokaido - Print 31
31 Maisaka - View of Imaki Point jutting out into the sea, and a white Fuji (without outline) in the distance. This station was a fishing port lying on the south-eastern edge of Lake Hamana. The Lake Hamana and the Pacific Ocean meet at this point and travellers had to cross this mouth of the lake by boats. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858). The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido - Hoeido edition (1831-4)
Hiroshige - 53 Stations of the Tokaido - Print 48
48 Seki - View outside a resthouse in the early morning, where a daimyo is stopping, the retainers preparing, by the aid of lanterns, to proceed on the journey. Each station was required to maintain lodging houses for travellers. The inn shown is one for upper class travellers such as Shogunate officials and feudal lords. Retinue are making preparations for a feudal lord to leave from the lodging house. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858). The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido - Hoeido edition (1831-4)
Hiroshige - 53 Stations of the Tokaido - Print 23
23 Fuji-jeda - Changing horses and coolies outside a resthouse. A lively scene of a relay operation taking place under the supervision of the station officials. An official of lower rank enters porterage fares in a record book. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858). The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido - Hoeido edition (1831-4)
JAPANESE PRINT - IRIS
Two blue iris grow amid the rushes and reeds at the edge of a still pool as a small frog dives beneath the surface in this delicate Japanese woodcut print
Japanese warrior woman with naginata
Japanese warrior woman with a large Naginata. A naginata is a pole weapon that was traditionally used in Japan by members of the samurai class. It consists of a wood shaft with a curved blade on the end, similar to the Chinese Guan Dao or European glaive or Russian sovnya. Usually it also had a sword-like guard (tsuba) between the blade and shaft as depicted on this card. During the Edo Period, as the naginata became less useful for men on the battlefield, and became a symbol of the social status of women of the samurai class. A functional naginata was often a traditional part of a samurai daughter's dowry. Women of the samurai class were expected to be capable of defending their homes while their husbands were away at war!
Hiroshige - 53 Stations of the Tokaido - Print 5
5 Hodogaya - A bridge over a stream, and across it two coolies are carrying a closed kago towards a village on the opposite bank; behind the village rises a low wooden hill. At this countryside station the travellers had covered a distance of 34 km from Edo and were well into the mood of travelling. By the bridge stands a restaurant which serves Soba (buckwheat noodle) and waitresses stand in front beckoning travellers to the restaurant. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858). The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido - Hoeido edition (1831-4)
Three Japanese Geisha girls playing Go
Three Japanese Geisha girls in Kobe, Japan, playing the popular boardgame Go in their beautiful Kimonos.