Toyohara Chikanobu

Color woodblock print from the series "24 Paragons of Filial Piety." Print measures 13 1/4 x 8 7/8 inches on 14 1/8 x 9 3/4 inch laid paper.

Color woodblock print measures 12 3/4 x 8 1/4 inches on 13 3/4 x 9 3/8 inch japanese rice paper. A very detailed print, with burnishing in the black obi fabric and wooden geta sandals, and embossing in the white kimono trim. This print depicts the Lady Tsukiyama being arrested for treason.

Color woodblock print C. 1886. From the series "Collection of Night Tales." Print measures 13 x 8 7/8 inches on 13 3/4 x 9 1/4 inch japanese rice paper.

This is an original color wood block print by Japanese artist Toyohara Chikanobu.  It was from his series of Jidai Kagami (Mirror of the Ages)  It is from the Meiji Period, circa 1890's.  This one is titled: Bijin in the Koka Era.  The image measures 12 7/8X8 1/8 inches.  Finely presented in a custom linen matting.

This is an original color wood block print by Japanese artist Chinkanobu Toyohara.  It is from his Jidai Kagami series (Mirror of the Ages)  It was created and printed 1896-98.  Published by Matsuk Heikichi.  The image measures 12 7/8X8 inches.  Nicely presented with a custom linen mat.  The series 'Jidai Kagami', often translated as 'A Mirror of the Ages' is one of the most popular by the artist Chikanobu Yoshu. With 50 designs, it shows beauties with different hairstyles and lavish garments through various ages of Japanese history. The portraits are elaborately rendered, with a scene at the top which further references the time period or a memorable event that took place.

This is an original color wood block print by Japanese artist Toyohara Chikanobu.  It is from his series "Mirror of the Ages" (Jidai Kagami)  This one is from the Meirek Era

1655-1658)  This image was created and printed in 1897, published by Matsuki Heikichi.  The image measures 12 1/2X8 1/4 inches, sheet size is 14 1/8X9 1/4 inches. 

 This whole series is one of the outstanding achievements of late nineteenth century Japanese art. One of his best series, A Mirror of the Ages showed women by fashion and hair style throughout history. There is of course the longing for the past and yet these prints are unmistakably modern and of their time. The subject in each print is the finely rendered foreground figure shown as a portrait head and in the upper quarter, a scene in grisaille from the chosen period. The quality of printing is outstanding, especially in Chikanobu’s use of white for the rendering of the powdered faces. It is often forgotten by art historians that this was the period above all others when the technique of woodblock printing achieved its zenith whilst at the same time there were artists of stature to execute it.