Featured Mystery Asian Art Watercolor or Prints

Discussion in 'Art' started by Ranger Rick, Aug 19, 2022.

  1. Ranger Rick

    Ranger Rick Well-Known Member

    I was cleaning out some of my parents’ estate and came across these two watercolors or prints. I think I remember my dad pinked them up in Japan or Okinawa during WW2. They are about 13 by 8 inches unframed. If anyone can read the writing or stamps or tell me more about them, that would be great. I added a few close up photos of the printing from a microscope camera. wc2.jpg wc5.jpg wc3.jpg wc4.jpg wc9.jpg zz.jpg zzzz.jpg
     
  2. Bakersgma

    Bakersgma Well-Known Member

    Woodblocks
     
    wlwhittier likes this.
  3. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Yep. The top one looks like he bought it new. I'm not expert enough to guess on the other. I'm a wood block junkie so I like them.
     
  4. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    they are lovely....
     
  5. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Aug 19, 2022
  6. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Aha. No wonder the OP's dad liked them.
     
  7. Ranger Rick

    Ranger Rick Well-Known Member

    wc12.jpg wc12.jpg OK, I opened up one of the frames. The size is actually correct, it was cropped by the matting. It has lots od other markings on both sides. Maybe someone can identify the other markings??? Who did these woodblocks? wc10.jpg wc11.jpg wc12.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 21, 2022
  8. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    The original images are by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), but Japanese woodblock prints have frequently been reproduced in Japan and elsewhere. The original blocks could be reused in later editions, new blocks could be carved with the same images, and more modern reproduction methods have also been used. It can be quite complex to sort out.

    Gihachiro Okuyama was a 20th century artist (1907-1981), with a more contemporary style. It may be that he made these copies of Hiroshige's images. But you may need to find a specialist in Japanese wood block prints, also called "ukiyo-e", to tell you what you have.
     
    Bakersgma likes this.
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