Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貴] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豐国] (Japanese, 1786–1865)
Publisher: unknown (Ichi-To, 未詳); Marks 05-012 | U085a; seal (一、ト). Date-aratame seal: Bunsei 5 (文政五年, 1822). Media: Fan print (Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 合別横絵団扇絵); 234 × 264 mm. Actor: Matsumoto Kōshirō V [五代相本幸四郎] (Japanese, 1764–1838); other names: Ichikawa Komazō III [市川高麻蔵], Ichikawa Sumizō I [市川寿美蔵]. Role: Hanakawado no Sukeroku [花川戸の助六]. Play: Sukeroku: The Double Obi of the Cherry Blossoms (Sukeroku sakura no futae obi, 助六桜の二重帯).-
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NEWPeonies (Shakuyaku) [芍薬] Series: Flower-Colored Papers (Hana Shikishi) [花色紙] Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi [歌川 國芳] (Japanese, 1798–1861) Signature: Chō-ō-rō Kuniyoshi ga (朝櫻楼 國芳 画) Publisher: Kojimaya Jūbei [小島屋 十兵衛] (Japanese, 1797 – 1869); seal 十, Marks 06-014 | 264a Date/Censorship Approval: Nanushi seal Yoshimura (吉村) for Yoshimura Gentarō (吉村 源太郎), VI/1843–XI/1846. Medium: Rigid fan print (Aiban Yoko-e Uchiwa-e, 合判横絵 団扇絵), 222 x 284 mm.
Interpretation of the Inscription in the Floral Cartouche
- 花色紙 (Hana Shikishi) – "Flower-Colored Paper" or "Decorative Shikishi Paper with Floral Motifs"
- 芍薬 (Shakuyaku) – "Peony", a flower symbolizing prosperity, beauty, and romance in Japanese culture
- 団扇絵 (Uchiwa-e) – "Round Fan Illustration" or "Picture on an Uchiwa (rigid fan)"
Description & Symbolic Analysis
This print, part of the Hana Shikishi (Flower-Colored Papers) series, depicts a woman washing a basin after brushing her teeth. She is positioned behind an indigo-colored folding screen, adorned with a repeating pattern of distant pines, presented in reverse printing technique (wyabori, 捺ぼり). The screen is a visual separator, adding depth and an intimate atmosphere to the scene. The woman is portrayed in a three-quarter view, facing left, her face delicately contoured. She is dressed in a safflower-dyed kimono (furisode, 振袖) featuring an asanoha (麻の葉, hemp leaf) shibori pattern, a motif often associated with purity and protection. Over this, she wears an outer garment decorated with an indigo bamboo motif, symbolizing strength and resilience. Additionally, the garment features:- Double gourd (瓢箪, hyōtan) symbolises longevity, fertility, and good fortune.
- Strips of paper resembling “next-morning letters” (kinuginu no fumi, 衣衣の文) – These evoke romantic correspondence or the written wishes of the Tanabata festival.
- Spools or reels of thread (chikiri, 糸巻き) – A motif reminiscent of Tanabata festival themes, often linked to the celestial lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi. The phonetic pun with chigiri (契り, vow or romantic promise) reinforces themes of marriage, fate, and lifelong bonds.
Adornment & Hairstyling
Her elaborate hairstyle features a red hair tie (musubi, 結び), signifying youth and romantic allure. It is further adorned with:- Golden kogai (笄) – A decorative hairpin, often used by courtesans or high-ranking women.
- Tama kanzashi (玉簪) – A ball-tipped ornamental hairpin, reinforcing her refined status.
Objects in the Scene & Their Symbolism
The woman is holding a traditional Japanese toothbrush (fusa-yōji, ふさ楊枝) in her right hand, while pouring out water from the basin after brushing her teeth. This act symbolizes purity and preparation for intimacy. To her right, an ornate lacquered writing box (suzuribako, 硯箱) is placed near an inkstone (硯, suzuri). This object could also be interpreted as a dreamstone (梦石, mèng shí), a scholar’s object associated with nostalgia, love, or secret communication.Context in Ukiyo-e Tradition
Tooth brushing was uncommon in bijin-ga (美人画, "beautiful woman prints"). Ukiyo-e frequently depicted women engaging in personal grooming rituals, reflecting ideals of elegance and self-care in Edo-period culture.- Morning Glory (Asagao, 朝顔)
- Clematis (Tessen, 鉄線)
Morning Glory (Asagao, 朝顔)
Clematis (Tessen, 鉄線)
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NEWKabuki actor Iwai Hanshiro V, in the role of Shirai Gonpachi, stands under a willow tree (yanagi, 柳) to read a letter from the courtesan Komurasaki of the Miuraya [三浦屋小紫]. In this letter, Komurasaki laments their unfortunate love. This is a scene from the kabuki play The Floating World's Pattern and Matching Lightning Bolts (Ukiyozuka hiyoku no inazuma) [浮世柄比翼稲妻] written by Tsurya Namboku IV [鶴屋南北]; it was played for the first time in March 1823 at Ichimura Theatre [市村座] in Edo. This play was later divided into two individual pieces: Saya-ate [鞘当] and Fuwa [不破]. On the shoulders of the actor's garment is a character 井 in a circle — both names, Iwai 岩井 and Shirai 白井, use this character.
"Ukiyozuka Hiyoku no Inazuma" is a kabuki play in nine acts, written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV. It premiered in Bunsei 6 (1823) at the Ichimura-za theatre in Edo.
The play includes two particularly famous scenes:
- "Suzugamori no ba" (The Scene at Suzugamori), which portrays the episode of Banzuiin Chōbei and Shirai Gonpachi
- "Yoshiwara Nakanochō no ba" (The Scene at Yoshiwara Nakanochō), which depicts the story of Nagoya Sanza and Fuwa Banzaemon
These scenes have been frequently performed under the well-known titles "Gozonji Suzugamori" (A Well-Known Suzugamori) and "Sayaate" (The Scabbard Clash).
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Title: Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Sadanji I as Mannenya Kamei Tarō
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada III (Baido Kunimasa) [Japanese, 1848–1920]
Signature: Baidō Kunimasa hitsu (梅堂國政筆)
Actor: Ichikawa Sadanji I (市川左団次, also known as Ichikawa Shōjaku I, Ichikawa Koyone, Ichikawa Tatsuzō) [Japanese, 1842–1904]
Role: Mannenya Kamei Tarō (万年屋家名太郎)
Play: Unidentified
Publisher: Shimōsaya Masukichi (下総屋升吉)
Publisher’s Address: Asakusa, Kurofune-chō (浅草 黒舩)
Date: Meiji 30 (1897), 3rd month
Medium: Uchiwa-e (団扇絵, fan print), ink and colour on paper, 245 × 282 mmThis uchiwa-e (fan print) by Utagawa Kunisada III (also known as Utagawa Kunimasa IV) portrays the kabuki actor Ichikawa Sadanji I in the role of Mannenya Kamei Tarō. The figure is depicted in a dramatic stance, dressed in a striking blue kimono adorned with fish and wave motifs, suggesting a maritime or festival connection. He carries a large basket supported by a fabric strap around his neck, filled with small toy fish attached to sticks, along with round objects that could be festival sweets or miniature decorations. In his right hand, he holds one of these toy fish-on-a-stick items, possibly demonstrating it as part of a vendor's performance.
The background is a bold deep red, contrasting with the detailed rendering of the actor’s expression and costume. The print was published in 1897 (Meiji 30) by Shimōsaya Masukichi, a publisher based in Asakusa, Kurofune-chō. Though the exact play remains unidentified, the composition captures a moment from a kabuki performance where street vendors and festival sellers were often featured as comic or supporting characters in Edo-period narratives.
This work exemplifies the continuation of traditional kabuki actor portraiture into the Meiji period, reflecting both theatrical culture and popular printmaking traditions at the time.
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A half-length portrait of a woman seated in an interior, winding red thread, dressed in a richly decorated kimono featuring intricate floral motifs in blue, green, and brown hues with a red underlayer. Her elaborately styled hair is adorned with a yellow comb and multiple hairpins. To her left is a partially visible wooden chest of drawers, to which a piece of red paper bearing calligraphy is affixed. A puppet or doll dressed in a patterned kimono with a striking red-painted face rests on her lap or a surface before her.
An uncut fan print (aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e) entitled “Good tailoring” or “Good sewing [仕立ものよし] (shitate monoyoshi)” from the series "It’s an Auspicious Day to…" [最上吉日つくし] (Saijō [no] kichijitsu tsukushi).
Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi [歌川 國芳] (Japanese, 1798 – 1861).
Signature: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi giga (一勇斎 國芳戯画, playfully drawn by Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi).
Publisher: Enshūya Matabei [遠州屋又兵衛] (Enterprise, active c. 1768 – 1881); seal: "to" (ト) under roof (Marks 01-031 | 057a). Nanushi seal Watari (渡) for Watanabe Shōemon, VI/1842-V 1c/1846. Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 224 x 290 mm. Reference: (1) Kuniyoshi project; (2) Tokyo Museum Digital Archive [Thanks to Horst Greabner] -
NEWAn uncut fan print depicting a carp (koi) swimming amid aquatic plants against a deep blue background. Artist: unknown/unsigned, possibly Katsushika Hokusai [葛飾 北斎] (Japanese, 1760 – 1849). Publisher: Enshūya Matabei [遠州屋又兵衛] (Japanese, fl. c. 1768 – 1881) Date: No date seal, no censor seal (privately printed?) Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 224 x 290 mm. Similar subject:
Katsushika TAITO II (fl. c. 1810-53)
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NEWRigid uchiwa fan, ink and colour on paper. Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII in a crimson red robe, on his knees in a ceremonial bowing position to the audience during a formal stage announcement before the performance (Kojo, 口上). The fan has been used, dismounted from the frame, and laid onto Japanese paper, hence the rib marks. Painted c. 1850. Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII [市川団十郎] (Japanese, 1823 – 1854); other names: Ichikawa Ebizō VI, Ichikawa Shinnosuke II. Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Toyokuni hitsu [豊国筆] with red toshidama seal. Dimensions: 280 x 325 mm Reference: Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII by Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川国芳, 1855.
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NEWIchikawa Danjūrō VII [市川団十郎] and Iwai Kumesaburō II [岩井粂三郎] as Kinugawa Iemon [絹川伊右衛門] and Tōfuya Kasane [とうふやヶさね], resp., in kabuki play Banzei okuni kabuki [万歳阿国歌舞妓], performed at Ichimura Theatre [市村座] on March, 21, 1827. References: Kunisada Project; Waseda University. Ichikawa Danjūrō VII [市川団十郎] (Japanese, 1791 – 1859); other names: Ichikawa Ebizō V, Ichikawa Hakuen II, Ichikawa Shinnosuke I. Iwai Hanshirō VI [[岩井半四郎] (Japanese, 1799 – 1836); other names: Iwai Hanshirō VI, Iwai Kumesaburō II, Iwai Hisajirō I, Baiga (poetry name), Shūka (poetry name). Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Gototei Kunisada ga [五渡亭國貞画]. Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. 1790s-1860s). Date seal and aratame seal: boar (亥), Bunsei 10 – 1827. Untrimmed fan print (aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e), 235 x 270 mm. Ichimura-za Kabuki Playbill (Tsuji banzuke):
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NEWHalf-length portrait of a beautiful young woman wearing a chrysanthemum-patterned green kimono, face directed 3/4 to the right, holding her hands together and fingers spread, arranging the hairpins in her elaborate hairdo; garments of different colours and pattern designs on the background. Series: The taste of the new type of woman (Shingata bijin konomi) [新形美人好]. Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Kōchōrō Kunisada ga [香朝楼國貞画] in a yellow double-gourd cartouche. No publisher seal. No censor/date seal. Media: Untrimmed fan print (Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e), 228 x 305 mm.
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NEWSeries: The taste of the new type of woman (Shingata bijin konomi) [志んかた美人好]. Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Kōchōrō Kunisada ga [香朝楼國貞画] in a red double-gourd cartouche. No publisher seal. No censor/date seal. Media: Untrimmed fan print (Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e), 228 x 302 mm.
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NEWSeries: Moon and sun shells for tomobiki (Tsukihigai ataru tomobiki) [月日貝あたるともびき] – hiragana inscription in the red cartouche. According to Kuniyoshi Project, Tomobiki (友引) is a fortuitous day for conducting business. There are also other meanings of the same notion of 友引. Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi [歌川 國芳] (1798 – 1861). Signed: Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga [一勇斎 國芳戯画] (drawn by Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi) in a red double-gourd cartouche with a kiri-mon seal beneath. Publisher: Ibaya Kyūbei [伊場屋久兵衛] (Japanese, 1804 – 1851); seal [板元,久] – Hanmoto, Kyū; Marks 19-040|126e. Single nanushi censor seal: Mura [村] = Murata Sahei [村田佐右衛] (VI/1842 – V/1846). This series has five more known prints; some have Tanaka [田中] censor seal (I/1844–II/1845). Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 230 x 297 mm.
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NEWArtist: Katsukawa Shun'ei [勝川 春英] (Japanese, 1762 – 1819) Signature: Shun'ei ga [春英画] Dimensions: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 230 x 268 mm. Censor seal: absent (probably because before 1810). Publisher: Iseya Sōemon – 板元,上, Marks 21-216|156g: Hanmoto, Ue. A blue seal in the middle of the print.
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NEWTitle: Tenth lunar month (Shoto no zu) [初冬の図]. Series: Fashionable Twelve Months [今様十二ヶ月] (Imayo juni-kagetsu). Another version of the translation: Modern Beauties of Twelve Months. Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni I [歌川豊国] (1769–1825). Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国画] and sealed with toshidama. Pubisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, 1815 – 1869), seal: Dansendō [伊場仙]. Date-kiwame seal: Ushi (ox), Bunsei 5 (1822). Size: double-sheet uncut fan print (aiban uchiwa-e), each 220 x 289 mm.
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NEWTitle: The Great Waterfall at the Twelve Shrines of Tsunohazu (Tsunohazu juniso otaki) [角筈十二社大滝] from an untitled set of views of famous places in Edo. Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige II [二代目 歌川広重] (Japanese, 1826 – 1869) – a son-in-law of Andō Hiroshige. Signature: Hiroshige ga [廣重画] Dimensions: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 226 x 291 mm. Combined date/censor seal: tori, 酉 / kiwame 極 – 1861 (Man'en 2 / Bunkyū 1 from 19/II). Publisher: Yama-Ta; seal: [板元, 太] – Hanmoto, Ta; Marks 19-044 | U421b: An unknown publisher in Edo, fl. c. 1815-61. Provenance: Collection of Maroni, Albert (French, 1852 – 1923), red stamp in the bottom-left corner.
An aizuri-e (blue print) on a popular topic, many times depicted by Andō Hiroshige and Hiroshige II, including the below print by the latter No. 45, the Twelve Kumano Shrines at Tsunohazu (Tsunohazu Kumano jûnisha), from the series Forty-Eight Famous Views of Edo (Edo meisho yonjûhakkei)「江戸名所四十八景 四十五 角筈熊野十二社」
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NEWTitle: The Secret Meeting between Ushiwakamaru and the Daughter of Kiichi Hōgen (Kiichi Hōgen ga hisho o miro) [鬼一法眼が秘書をみる] Series: Scenes from the life of Ushiwaka (Ushiwaka zue) [牛若図会] Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige [歌川 広重] a.k.a. Andō Hiroshige [安藤 広重] (Japanese, 1797 – 1858) Signature: Hiroshige ga [廣重画] Dimensions: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 226 x 303 mm. Censor seal: Hama & Magome [濱 / 馬込]: 1/1849 – 2/1852 (Kaei 2-5) Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. C. 1845 – 1847), seal: San [三] (Marks 11-001 | 127c). According to Rupert Faulkner (2001), another copy of this fan print is housed at Ōta Memorial Museum (ŌMM 1998, № 258). There are four other known prints from this series: (1) The Meeting at Yahagi: The Beginnings of the Jorurijunidan Story (Yahagi no Shuku Jorurijunidan no Hajime); (2) Ushiwakamaru practising swordsmanship at Sojogatani (ŌMM 1998, no.256); (3) Ushiwakamaru's encounter with Benkei on Gojo Bridge (Matsuki 1924, no.93); and (4) Ise no Saburo swearing an oath of loyalty to Ushiwakamaru (Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History). Kiichi Hōgen [鬼一法眼] is a legendary monk and warrior who trained Ushiwakamaru (young Minamoto no Yoshitsune) in swordsmanship, tactics, and magic.Another print (Ushiwakamaru's encounter with Benkei on Gojo Bridge) from this series is in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago under the title Killing One Thousand People at Gojo Bridge (Gojo no hashi sennin kiri).
Rupert Faulkner (2001)
Reference: (1) Rupert Faulkner. Hiroshige Fan Prints / Victoria and Albert Museum, Far Eastern Series. — London: V&A Publications; NY: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2001. (2) Christophe Marquet. Hiroshige: Les éventails d'Edo / Estampes de la collection Georges Leskowicz. — Paris: In fine, 2022. [Thanks to Horst Graebner].AIC Reference Number 1925.3802
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NEWTitle: Flower calendar for the famous cherry blossoms (Hana goyomi meisho sakura) [花暦名所櫻]. A scene from an imaginary (mitate) kabuki play. Names of the characters (left to right): Kiyomizu/Shimizu Seigen [清水清玄]; Yakko (footman) Yodohei [奴淀平]; koshimoto (court lady) [こしもと]; Sakura hime (princess) [桜姫]. The same characters appear in a few real kabuki plays. Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige [歌川 広重] a.k.a. Andō Hiroshige [安藤 広重] (Japanese, 1797 – 1858) Signature: Hiroshige ga [廣重画] Dimensions: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 232 x 295 mm. Censor seal: "Mura" [村] for Murata Sahei [村田佐兵衛], used from VI/1842 to V/1846 (Tenpō 13 – Kōka 3). Publisher: Enshūya Matabei [遠州屋又兵衛] (Enterprise, active c. 1768 – 1881); seal: "To" (ト) (Marks 01-031 | 057a). [Thanks to Horst Graebner].
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NEWIn red cartouche: Famous places in Bushū and Kanagawa (Bushū Kanagawa meisho) [武州神奈河名昕] In yellow striped square: Gankirō in Yokohama (Yokohama Gankirō) [横濱巌亀楼] / new spelling 横浜岩亀楼. The three kanji [岩亀楼] (Gankirō) are also visible on the sign or lantern above the food tray, carried on the head by a man on the left. Gankirō – the largest 'tea house' (brothel) for foreigners in the Miyozaki pleasure quarters, similar to those in Yoshiwara, in Edo. Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige II [二代目 歌川広重] (Japanese, 1826 – 1869) – a son-in-law of Andō Hiroshige. Signature: Hiroshige ga [廣重画] Dimensions: Aiban yoko-e uchiwa-e, 223 x 289 mm. Combined date/censor seal: monkey (saru - 申) and kiwame (極), 1860. Publisher: Yama-Ta; seal: [板元, 太] – Hanmoto, Ta; Marks 19-044 | U421b: An unknown publisher in Edo, fl. c. 1815-61. Another Hiroshige II's print with the same subject and even the same characters, but in 3rd month, 1859: Entrance to the Gankirō Tea House in the Miyozaki District, Yokohama, Bushu (Bushu Yokohama Gankirō) [諸国名所百景 武州横浜岩亀楼]. Utagawa Yoshikazu's [歌川芳員] depiction of the place in c. 1861 from the inside:[Thanks to Horst Graebner].
Foreigners Enjoying Themselves in the Gankirō. MET JP3264.
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NEWAdvertisement, cover sheet from the album “Improvisations” — Artists Equity Fund, Inc. presents Spring Fantasia Masquerade Ball, May 15, 1953, Hotel Astor. Comb-spine bound pictorial album of 66 colour plates; Limited Edition of 2000 copies; chromolithography on wove paper 305 x 234 mm; marginal holes after plastic comb-spine binding. Recto: Improvisations | ARTISTS EQUITY | MASQUERADE | BALL | 1953 | may 15 | HOTEL ASTOR | Vertès || Verso: “SCHENLEY | DISTRIBUTORS, INC | 350 – 5 AVE NYC. | A. Refregier || Reference: Laster's Fine Art & Antiques; The Cary Collection. Contributors: Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) Anton Refregier (Russian-American, 1905 – 1979) Bertram A. Goodman (American, 1904 – 1988)
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NEWHalf-bound green over grey cloth flapped folder 530 x 370 mm with laces, 3 in-folio folded leaves with text (6 pages) and drawn title-page plus 30 colour offset lithographs 510 x 350 mm after Marcel Vertès. Print run limited to 331 copies with 278 on Sirène, of which this is copy № 51. Title-page: VERTÈS | Nous les Abstraits | Préface de | Roger Peyrefitte || Imprint: © 1960 BY ÉDITIONS LÉDA, 36, RUE ÉTIENNE-MARCEL, PARIS 2° || Colophon: ACHEVÉ D'IMPRIMER | LE 18 AVRIL 1960 |PAR | JACQUES LONDON, IMPRIMEUR | POUR LA PRÉFACE | ET | RENÉ GUILLARD | POUR LES LITHOGRAPHIES || Limitation: CET OUVRAGE A ÉTÉ TIRÉ A 331 EXEMPLAIRES | DONT : UN EXEMPLAIRE UNIQUE COMPORTANT TROIS DESSINS | ORIGINAUX ET DEUX DESSINS ORIGINAUX REFUSÉS, LA | SUITE COMPLÈTE DES PLANCHES AQUARELLÉES A LA | MAIN PAR L'ARTISTE ET QUINZE CROQUIS ORIGINAUX | DE PRÉPARATION. (EXEMPLAIRE NUMÉROTÉ UN.) | 5 EXEMPLAIRES SUR VÉLIN D'ARCHES COMPORTANT | DEUX DESSINS ORIGINAUX ET UN DESSIN ORIGINAL | REFUSÉ, TROIS PLANCHES AQUARELLÉES A LA MAIN, DEUX | PLANCHES REFUSÉES ET CINQ CROQUIS ORIGINAUX, | NUMÉROTÉS DE 2 A 6. | 17 EXEMPLAIRES SUR VÉLIN D'ARCHES COMPORTANT UN | DESSIN ORIGINAL, UNE PLANCHE REFUSÉE ET UN CROQUIS | ORIGINAL, NUMÉROTÉS DE 7 A 23. | 278 EXEMPLAIRES SUR OFFSET SIRÈNE, NUMÉROTÉS DE 24 A 301 | 30 | EXEMPLAIRES HORS COMMERCE NUMÉROTÉS H.C. I | A H.C. XXX. 51 || Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist/author Pierre Roger Peyrefitte (French, 1907 – 2000) – author/preface. Imprimerie London (Paris); Jacques [Jankiel] London (Jewish-Ukrainian-French, 1910 – 2011) – printer/text. René Guillard (French, 1889 – after 1961) – printer/lithographs.
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NEW"The Jewish Hungarian artist Nicolas Sternberg moved to Paris in the 1920s, remaining there for the rest of his life, hiding during the German occupation of the city in the 1940s under false identity papers". [MIA: Minneapolis Institute of Art, cited] Jean-Pierre Dutel provides the following information: Nicolas Sternberg was born to Jewish parents on July 9, 1902, in Nagyvárad, in Austro-Hungary. According to the archives of the Préfecture de police in Paris (1930), he was Hungarian. His real name was Miklós Szines-Sternberg. At the time, it was common among painters and sculptors to retain their original German names while adopting Hungarian-German double surnames. From age twelve, he worked as a newspaper illustrator in Budapest before moving to Paris in the early 1920s after studying in Munich. He published regularly in Paris-Soir, one of the most important French daily newspapers between the wars. Despite his talent, only one solo exhibition seems to have been dedicated to him at the Galerie Georges Petit (Georges Petit, 1856–1920) in 1929. Jules Pascin (1885 –1930) exhibited there in 1930 and committed suicide on the opening day. Sternberg is known for his drawings devoted to the circus, madmen, and pornography. He excelled in portraits and self-portraits, particularly fine portraits of his wife Miche and his friend Michel Simon (1895–1975). In 1927, he made drawings for Les Flambeaux de la Noce, a play at the Comédie-Française. He also contributed to the illustration of La Légende des sexes by Edmond Haraucourt (1856 –1941). In 1930, he created illustrations for Les Aventures du Roi Pausole by Pierre Louÿs (1870–1925), published by Simon Kra (1853–1940), and for an edition of the bawdy songs Les Trois Orfèvres à la Saint Éloi, which led to an investigation into its publisher and illustrator. He also produced original watercolours for an edition of Manuel de Civilité by Pierre Louÿs. In 1933, he illustrated Madame de Pompadour by Paul Reboux (1877 –1963). In 1937, Sternberg illustrated Souls and Secrets, a collection of Hasidic stories by József Patai (1882–1953), translated by his son, the anthropologist, ethnologist, and historian Raphael Patai (Budapest, 1910 – Tucson, 1996), who kept some of Sternberg’s works in his home. Portraits of Michel Simon dating from 1932, along with numerous pornographic photographs of Sternberg taken by the actor between 1940 and 1960, demonstrate the longevity of their relationship. In 1940, Sternberg miraculously escaped the Nazi’s aerial bombardment that killed several members of his family. During the Occupation, he lived in hiding with false papers and resumed his career in Paris after the war. Despite visual differences, Jules Pascin and Nicolas Sternberg shared some curious similarities. Their works, though employing different techniques, reflect the same underlying despair. Like Pascin, Sternberg committed suicide.
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NEWThe top cover of the French humouristic weekly Le Rire № 631, 7 Mars 1931. Lettering: № 631 – 7 Mars 1931 … S.A.D.E.P. … Le Numéro : 1 fr. 50 | Le Rire | JOURNAL HUMORISTIQUE PARAISSANT LE SAMEDI | — Dis donc, maman, ce qu'il doit être curieux, le / Monsieur d'en face, ça fait une heure qu'il cherche à / lire le titre de ton livre. | Dessin de ROJANKOVSKY. Publisher: S.A.D.E.P. => Éditions: Société Auxilliaire pour la Diffusion des Éditions de Productivité — 11, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris. Artist: Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-French-American, 1891 – 1970)
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NEWDrypoint on cream cardstock 230 x 206 mm with plate mark 101 x 112 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWDrypoint on cream cardstock 160 x 212 mm with plate mark 97 x 120 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWDrypoint on cream cardstock 230 x 207 mm with plate mark 102 x 120 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWDrypoint with plate mark 90 x 105 mm on cream cardstock in two states: (1) two copies 155 x 230 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. (2) 155 x x 225 mm signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark and with the letter 'd' in pencil above the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWSepia drypoint with plate mark 55 x 70 mm on cream cardstock in two states: (1) 115 x 155 mm, unsigned (2) 115 x 155 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWSanguine drypoint with plate mark 102 x 90 mm on cream cardstock in two states: (1) 227 x 203 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark. (2) 230 x x 203 mm signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the plate mark and with the letter 'd' in pencil above the plate mark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWSanguine drypoint with platemark 130 x 150 mm on cream cardstock in two states: (1) 209 x 212 mm, signed 'ORS' in pencil on the margin below the platemark. (2) 206-214 x x 224-228 mm with letter 'd' in pencil above the platemark. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWDrypoint on cream cardstock 208 x 207 mm with platemark 100 x 122 mm, monogrammed "ORS" in pencil outside the plate. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWSanguine drypoint on cream cardstock 230 x 155 mm with platemark 153 x 79 mm, monogrammed "ORS" in pencil. Inscription in pencil to bottom: "Letzter Abzug x. 49". Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWNine loose drypoint plates on cream cardstock of different sizes (sheet, platemark, signature in pencil to margin) SVE-0585.2024-1: 183 x 183 mm; 101 x 80 mm; ORS SVE-0585.2024-2: 219 x 195 mm; 102 x 80 mm; –– SVE-0585.2024-3: 183 x 187 mm; 102 x 84 mm; –– SVE-0585.2024-4: 183 x 184 mm; 103 x 81 mm; ORS SVE-0585.2024-5: 183 x 186 mm; 102 x 80 mm; ORS SVE-0585.2024-6: 220 x 194 mm; 102 x 83 mm; ORS SVE-0585.2024-7: 158 x 108 mm; 101 x 79 mm; ORS SVE-0585.2024-8: 110 x 158 mm; 83 x 102 mm; –– SVE-0585.2024-9: 158 x 109 mm; 101 x 81 mm; ORS Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWTwelve loose drypoint plates on cream cardstock of different sizes (sheet, platemark, signature in pencil to margin) SVE-0584.2024-1: 185 x 183 mm; 103 x 80 mm –– SVE-0584.2024-2: 138 x 103 mm; 103 x 82 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-3: 201 x 142 mm; 104 x 82 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-4: 200 x 144 mm; 103 x 80 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-5: 158 x 110 mm; 102 x 81 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-6: 141 x 103 mm; 103 x 82 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-7: 200 x 141 mm; 103 x 82 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-8: 230 x 207 mm; 122x 100 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-9: 205 x 155 mm; 132 x 102 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-10: 200 x 230 mm; 101 x 131 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-11: 230 x 206 mm; 80 x 130 mm; ORS SVE-0584.2024-12: 228 x 206 mm; 100 x 91 mm; ORS Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWGraphite on wove paper, 281 x 209 mm, remnants of red pencil signature in the bottom right corner, traces of mounting hinges to recto. Attributed to: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWPen and ink drawing on paper, 285 x 184 mm, black ink stamp “PROF. O R SCHATS | Wien II.. Gr. Mohreng, 31 | Tel.: 55 82 566", remnants of mounting hinges to the drawing side; unsigned. Black stamp "Kunst bei Kenst" and blue ballpen ms signed "DKFM E. Kenst" to recto . Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWDrawing on both sides upside down; pen and ink on paper, 255 x 170 mm, black ink stamp “PROF. O R SCHATS | Wien II.. Gr. Mohreng, 31 | Tel.: 55 82 566", remnants of mounting hinges; unsigned. Attributed to Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).
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NEWGraphite on wove paper, 240 x 300 mm, blue ink stamp to verso: “PROF. O R SCHATZ" and pencil "67"; traces of mounting hinges. Artist: Otto Rudolf Schatz (Austrian, 1900 – 1961).