Paul Jacoulet -  Born in France, Paul Jacoulet moved to Japan with his parents as a young child. He began creating woodblock prints in 1934, specializing in romantic, exotic portraits, many of which were inspired by his travels in the South Seas. He hired the best carvers and printers to produce his woodblocks, working as his own publisher and personally overseeing each image. Produced in small limited editions, his works were lavishly printed with mica, gold, silver, and powdered semi-precious stones, and some involved up to 300 blocks to create one image. His rare and exquisite shin-hanga designs are highly regarded and prized by collectors.

Le Mandarin aux Lunettes, Mandchoukuo, 1950 - Handsome portrait of Mandarin man holding a pair of glasses with tortoiseshell frames, the lens covered with a sparkling pink mica. He wears an ornate robe with a stylized dragon on the chest, detailed with delicate linework in silver and gold mica, and a black cap topped with a red knot. The background features a beautifully detailed bird, blossoms, and leaves in silver mica, which is only faintly visible in the photo. A beautifully detailed design. Originally designed in the mid-1930s but deemed too expensive to print at that time, the subject was not printed until 1950, and several editions of this design are known.

French title - Le Mandarin aux Lunettes, Mandchoukuo
English title - The Mandarin with Glasses, Manchuria
Date - May 22, 1950
Signed - Pencil signed Paul Jacoulet in subject at lower right, with red artist's "Boat" seal
Carver - Maeda
Printers - Honda, Uchikawa, Onodera, Ogawa

Artist - Paul Jacoulet (1896 - 1960)

Image Size - 15 1/2" x 11 7/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Toning, spotting. Please see photos for details.