This Printing Block - This is an extremely rare carved block for a fine reprint of a classic landscape print by Hiroshige. The cherry wood block is skillfully carved on both sides. One side is carved for the gray trunks of the trees. The other side includes the background, beautifully shaded from deep rose at the top of the sky to a softer pink below, which is shaded into the green of the grass, an excellent example of the technique of bokashi or shading from one color to another. Paper remnants of the hanshita or preparatory drawing are still glued to some of the blocks. The colors were registered by aligning each print along an L-shaped kento mark on the lower left corner of each side. An image of an example print is shown below, not included with the block.
This printing block is a fascinating, rare artifact from the recent past. Serious collectors often ask about carved blocks. They are almost never seen on the market. A once in a lifetime opportunity for a serious collector to add a printing block to a collection.
Kyoto Hanga-in - Founded in 1935, Kyoto Hanga-in produced high quality reprints of works by classic ukiyo-e artists like Hiroshige, Hokusai, Harunobu, Utamaro, and Sharaku, along with shin-hanga prints by artists such as Tsuchiya Koitsu, Bakufu Ohno, and Gihachiro Okuyama. The block has been unused and in storage for decades. Printing blocks are rarely seen on the market. This intricately carved block offers a wonderful look at the incredible skill and complexity involved in creating a Japanese woodblock print. Don't miss this exceptional opportunity!
Publisher - Kyoto Hanga-in
Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)
Size - Block approximately 15 5/8" x 10 7/8" x 3/4"
Condition - Block worn, with pigment remaining, some paper remnants from the hanshita (preparatory sketches glued to the blocks before carving). Please see photos for details.
