Antique Japanese Woodblock Print by Utagawa Kunisada Man with a Child c.1853 For Sale

Antique Japanese Woodblock Print by Utagawa Kunisada Man with a Child c.1853Presented is a beautiful Japanese full oban-size woodblock print created by the renowned artist of the late Edo period Utagawa Kunisada (1786 - 1864), also known as Kunisada I and Toyokuni III. He was one of the most prominent artists and printmakers during the late Edo era (1600-1864) and the most productive of all ukiyo-e artists - he had created about 20,000 images, each of them printed in several hundred prints.Utagawa Kunisada was a prolific woodblock print artist, mostly known for his pictures of beautiful women (bijinga) and kabuki actors prints (yakusha-e). Born in Edo (today’s Tokyo), he became a pupil of Toyokuni I Utagawa (1769-1825) at the age of 15 and would later adopt his name in the traditional Japanese manner, becoming Toyokuni III and continuing the development of the Utagawa art school.Kunisada’s pictures reflect the culture of Japan in the years leading up to the country’s opening to the West. His first book illustrations were published in 1807 and his first actor portrait the following year. Alongside theatrical scenes and courtesans, yakusha-e was his preferred genre amidst all his popular and extensive output. As he painted a large number of these, continuing the stout realism of his teacher, he acquired the nickname ‘Yakusha-e no Kunisada’ – Kunisada, the actor painter. In his numerous bijinga, he clung to the ideal of beauty prevalent at the time. Most of the women portrayed were courtesans from Yoshiwara, the regulated red-light district of the city.Many museums in the world have Kunisada works:British Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Tokyo National Museum
Museum of Fine Arts in Houston
Honolulu Museum of Art
and many othersThe print presented depicts a man standing in a room in a private house, holding a small child in his hands. We can see a Japanese-style dresser or drawer chest behind him and a large tea kettle on it. This is a scene from a Kabuki theater play \"Arigata ya O-Edo no Kagekiyo\" (Thank you, Kagekiyo of Edo). The man is a character from the play called Chobei, and he is holding his son Ichiko. Presumably, the contemporary Japanese people would easily recognize the play and scene as something special to them.This is a beautiful sneak peek into the everyday life of the Japanese middle class in the last years before the Meiji Restoration.The print was made using the Japanese woodblock technique during the lifetime of the artist. It shows his signature \"Toyokuni-ga\", editor\'s stamp, and a double-stamp by the censor.AUTHOR: Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)
TITLE:Man with a Child
CREATED: c.1853
PAPER: washi paper
METHOD OF PRINTING: Woodblock printing
PRINTED: Lifetime printing circa 1853
PRINT SIZE: Full oban size 13.75\" X 14.5\"
OVERALL FRAME SIZE: 15.5\" X 19\"The print is framed with a good-quality wooden frame and double mat.The condition is very good. Great detail and colors, some minor darkening of the paper. Very minor paper warm holes. The frame is in excellent condition.PLEASE NOTE: The price for the framed print is $145, but you can buy it without frame for $125. The shipping charge would be different as well. Just let me know before you purchase.
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