//Unknown
  •

    Ippitsusai Bunchō. Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Konami, 1771.

    Ippitsusai Bunchō [一筆斎文調] (Japanese, 1725 – 1794). Size: Vertical Hosoban. As the Library of Congress put it: "Print shows the actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II, full-length portrait, facing left, standing on the snow-covered veranda". Actor: Ichikawa Monnosuke II [市川門之助] (Japanese, 1743/56 – 1794); other names: Ichikawa Benzō I, Takinaka Hidematsu II, Takinaka Tsuruzō. According to Heroes of the Kabuki Stage [LIB-1197.2016] Ichikawa Monnosuke II was active from 11/1770 to 10/1794. Play: Chūshingura [忠臣蔵] (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), played at Nakamuraza in the 4the month of Meiwa 8 (1771). The actor played in a variety of roles and performances and was the subject of multiple woodblock prints by many famous ukiyo-e artists, including Bunchō, Katukawa Shunkō, Katukawa Shunshō, Katsukawa Shun'ei, Tōshūsai Sharaku, and many others. Ref: Vever (1976), vol. 1, № 242, p. 227.  

    Katsukawa Shun'ei. The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II in an Aragoto Role. LACME.

     

    Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Date no Yosaku Artist Tôshûsai Sharaku (Japanese, active 1794–1795), Publisher Tsutaya Jûzaburô (Kôshodô) (Japanese) 1794 (Kansei 6), 5th month. MFA.

     

    Ippitsusai Bunchô. Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Tsunewakamaru. Play: Iro Moyô Aoyagi Soga Theater: Nakamura. MFA.

    Favorites
    Details

  • Ippitsusai Bunchō. Lovers and a literate octopus crossing a stream on a giant shrimp.

    Ippitsusai Bunchō (一筆斎文調); lived 1725-1794; flourished 1755–1790. Size: Chuban; 26 x 20 cm The design presents a young woman reading a scroll while arranging her hear, and a young man with a rowing rod watching over her shoulder; the pair is standing on a giant  shrimp that ferries them over a stream. The third passenger is a literate octopus, who's is attentively exploring the text of a scroll. This allusion comes to mind promptly: “Bodhidharma crossing the Yangzi River on a  reed” (Royō Daruma). Image from Asian Art Museum in San Francisco:
    Masanobu’s mitate wittily evokes an episode known as “Bodhidharma crossing the Yangzi River on a  reed” (Royō Daruma). According to legend, the river crossing occurred en route to the Shaolin monastery, where Bodhidharma sat facing a wall for nine years without speaking. While serious interpretations abound in Chinese and Japanese paintings, popular prints of the Edo period often playfully substituted a beautiful woman for the monk. This parodic version was reportedly invented in response to a courtesan’s comment that she was more enlightened than Bodhidharma because she had spent ten years sitting, on display in a brothel.
    An interesting article about this particular design is published at UKIYO-E.ORG BLOG. Though, the design is erroneously attributed to Harunobu. We see that Bunchō was quite fascinated by the idea of crossing a water obstacle with the help of an unsuitable means of transportation:

    Female Daruma Riding a Mushroom. MFA # 21.4758.

     
    Favorites
    Details

  • Isoda Koryūsai. Evening Snow on Mount Hira, from the series Eight Views of Ômi in Modern Guise. Circa 1774.

    Evening Snow on Mount Hira (Hira no bosetsu), from the series Eight Views of Ōmi in Modern Guise (Ryaku Ōmi hakkei, (略近江八景). About 1773–75 (An'ei 2–4). Artist: Isoda Koryūsai (Japanese, 1735–1790) CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ: Hockley 2003, p. 202, #F-21-1 DIMENSIONS: Vertical chûban; 26 x 19.3 cm (10 1/4 x 7 5/8 in.)
    Signed: Koryû ga [湖竜画]
    Favorites
    Details

  • J.-J. Rousseau. Pygmalion, scène lyrique; A. Berquin. Mise en vers (Idylle) / Le text gravé par Droüet. — Paris: s.n., 1775.

    One volume, 22.8 x 15.5 cm, bound in full mottled calf, gilt floral frames to covers, raised bands and gilt fleurons to spine, printed on laid paper. Regarding Pygmalion, scène lyrique see: Wekipedia. Collation: Free endpaper and two blank flyleaves, [2] engraved title, [2] préface, 1-18 (Pygmalion), [2] f.t.p., [1] 2-8 (Idylle), two blank flyleaves and free endpaper; 20 leaves total, adorned with 7 headpieces and 1 tailpiece engraved by Nicolas de Launay, Nicolas Ponce and Charles Etienne Gaucher after Jean Michel Moreau the Younger and Clément Pierre Marillier; text engraved by Droüet. Title-page: PYGMALION, | SCENE LYRIQUE | DE MR. J. J. ROUSSEAU, | Mise en Vers | par MR. Berquin. | Le Text Gravé par Droüet | PARIS | 1775. || (on a column under two kissing doves and sculptor’s tools). Faux t.p.: IDYLLE | Par MR. Berquin. | — | Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum ; | dico ego opera mea regi. | Psalm. 44. | — || (in rules). Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-DeRicci 141 ; Lewine 55. Ref.: MFA (Boston); MET (NY); Yale University Library. Contributors: Artists: Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune (French, 1741–1814) Clément Pierre Marillier (French, 1740–1808) Engravers: Nicolas Delaunay (French, 1739–1792) Charles-Étienne Gaucher (French, 1741–1804) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746–1831) Droüet (French, 18th century) Authors: Arnaud Berquin (French, 1747–1791) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (French, 1712–1778)
    Favorites
    Details

  • Katsukawa School (Shunshō?). Portrait of an actor (Ichikawa Monnosuke II?). Circa 1780s.

    An unsigned print, presumably by Katsukawa Shunshō that presumably depicts a kabuki actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II. I was not able to find any reference of the image. Size: Hosoban. According to The actor's image. Print makers of the Katsukawa School. Timothy T. Clark and Osamu Ueda with Donald Jenkins. Naomi Noble Richard, editor The Art Institute of Chicago in association with Princeton  University Press, 1994, Ichikawa Monnosuke II was born in 1743, in Ōji Takinogawa, Edo. He died on October 19, 1974. His specialities were young male roles (wakashu) and male leads (tachi yaku). He was considered to be one of the four best young actors of his day.
    Favorites
    Details

  • Katsukawa Shun’ei. Kabuki scene.

    Katsukawa Shun'ei. Signed: Shun'ei ga (春英画). Vertical Ōban. No reference whatsoever. Unidentified play, actors, roles, year, theatre. SOLD  
    Favorites
    Details

  • Katsukawa Shun’ei. Portrait of an actor (Ichikawa Monnosuke II?). Circa 1780s.

    Print by Katsukawa Shun'ei that presumably depicts a kabuki actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II. I was not able to find any reference of the image. Size: Hosoban. SOLD  
    Favorites
    Details

  • Katsukawa Shun’ei. The sumo bout between Yotsuguruma and Yamaoroshi

    Katsukawa Shun'ei. The Sumo Bout between Yotsuguruma (right) and Yamaoroshi (left). Date: 1800 or 1805/06. Similar sheet can be found at Edo Tokyo Museum. Size: Vertical Ōban. Sumo wrestler Yotsuguruma Daihachi (1772 - 1809) first appeared in the records of national tournaments in winter of 1794. Then he lost 3 matches and won zero. He first won in the spring tournament of 1797 in a match against maegashira (the fifth-highest rank of sumo wrestlers) named Kougamine. Yamaoroshi Gengo (born 1762) came in at the winter tournament of 1799 . He was much more successful in his career than Yotsuguruma, but he had never won a tournament. It was the time of great Raiden, who won most of them. In the spring tournament of 1800 Yotsuguruma and Yamaoroshi fought against each other for the first time. Yotsuguruma lost. The next time they met on the ring was at the winter tournament of 1805, and again in 1806. Both matches were won by Yamaoroshi. Yamaoroshi retired in 1809; Yotsuguruma died in 1809.  
    Favorites
    Details

  • Katsukawa Shunkō. Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō IV, late 18th century.

    Artist: Katsukawa Shunkō [勝川 春好] (Japanese, 1743 – 1812).

    Actor: Matsumoto Kōshirō IV [[松本幸四郎]; other names: Omegawa Kyōjūrō, Ichikawa Komazō II, Ichikawa Somegorô I, Ichikawa Takejūrō, Segawa Kinji, Segawa Kingo] (Japanese, 1737 – 1802).

    Signed: Shunkō ga. Size: Hosoban; 14 x 33 cm. SOLD
    Favorites
    Details
  • NEW

    Kawanabe Kyōsai. Swallows and fūrin / Fan print, late 19th c.

    Artist: Kawanabe Kyōsai [河鍋 暁斎] (Japanese, 1831 – 1889) Signed: Seisei Kyosai [惺々暁斎], and sealed. Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 215 x 233 mm. Publisher: Unknown / No seal Date: Unknown / No seal Media: Fan print (uchiwa-e, 団扇絵), 215 x 233 mm. Possibly, a private order. Wind chimes (fûrin, 風鈴) are associated with a Wind Chimes Festival [風鈴祭り], held in summer all over Japan. Seller's description: wo swallows streak by with seeming joy past a fûrin, a wind bell. These Japanese wind chimes were introduced to Japan in the Heian era, and in the Edo period, they began to be constructed out of glass. We see the hanging length of paper twisting in the breeze as it creates a delightful chime; these tones are a characteristic sound of summer in Japan. A layer of deluxe mica covers the entire design, lending sparkle. This work was meant to be pasted onto an uchiwa, or fan, for summer use.
    Favorites
    Details

  • Kitagawa Utamaro. Ehon koi no Onamaki (1). 1799.

    Kitagawa Utamaro. According to Chris Uhlenberg this is an illustration from the book Ehon koi no Onamaki, 3 vols, published in Kansei 11 (1799). Illustrated in b/w in: Hayashi Yoshikazu: Kitagawa Utamaro, in the series: Edo makura-e shi shusei, published in 1990, reissued 1994. Size: Chuban (25.5 x 18.5 cm), two book pages glued together.  
    Favorites
    Details

  • Kitagawa Utamaro. Ehon koi no Onamaki (2). 1799.

    Kitagawa Utamaro. Illustration from book Ehon koi no Onamaki, published in 1799. Reference found by Chris Uhlenbeck: he found one of the designs in Hayashi Yoshikazu's 20-volume set Edo makura-e shi shusei: Kitagawa Utamaro. Size: Chuban (25.5 x 18.5 cm), two book pages glued together.  
    Favorites
    Details

  • Kitagawa Utamaro. Ehon koi no Onamaki (3). 1799.

    Kitagawa Utamaro. Illustration from the book Ehon koi no Onamaki. Cited at Hayashi Yoshikazu's 20-volume set Edo makura-e shi shusei: Kitagawa Utamaro. Size: Chuban (25.5 x 18.5 cm), two book pages glued together.  
    Favorites
    Details
  • NEW

    L’Académie des Dames: Vingt attitudes par Albert Marquet. — NY: Sixty-Ninth Avenue [i.e. Paris: s.n., ca. 1950)

    Hardcover, 330 x 255 mm, marble paper, two labels of black calf with gilt lettering to spine, 2 blank leaves at front and 2 at back (laid paper), two leaves of lithographic vignettes (t.p. and limitation), plus 20 lithographic plates signed “am”, unpaginated. Limited edition of 25 copies on Japon Impérial paper №№ 1-25, 300 copies on Vélin d’Arches №№ 26-325, of which this is copy № 206. Stones sanded. A poem by Verlaine at p. 2 recto. Title-page: L'Académie | DES | Dames | VINGT ATTITUDES PAR | ALBERT MARQUET | {vignette} | NEW YORK | SIXTY-NINTH AVENUE || Imprint: ÉDITION PRIVÉE | EXEMPLAIRE NUMERO 206 Limitation: JUSTIFICATION DU TIRAGE | IL A ÉTÉ TIRÉ DE CET OUVRAGE | VINGT-CINQ EXEMPLAIRES SUR JAPON IMPÉRIAL | NUMÉROTÉS DE 1 à 25 | ET TROIS CENTS EXEMPLAIRES SUR VÉLIN D'ARCHES | NUMÉROTÉS DE 26 à 325 | PIERRES BIFFÉES || Catalogue raisonné: Dutel III № 949; Nordmann I № 255. Provenance: From the collection of Hans-Jürgen Döpp, Frankfurt. Contributors: Albert Marquet (French, 1875 – 1947) Verlaine, Paul (French, 1844 – 1896) One additional lithographic plate by Marquet from a different source but on a similar subject is laid in.
    Favorites
    Details

  • Le Théâtre de la Nature. — Bruxelles, c. 1938.

    Album of 20 hand-coloured lithographs with a title page and a 'justification du tirage' page in an original snakeskin-clothed cardboard binder. Drawn on stone by Anonymous, attributed to Santippa. The theme of these pictures can be described as erotic humour.

    Edition: 200 copies printed in Bruxelles, c. 1938; this copy without a number.

    Watermarked wove paper: Word "Marais" and a flower.

    Dimensions: 24.3 x 29.3 cm According to J.-P. Dutel, the author of these images is Georges Hoffmann under the pseudonym Santippa. Honesterotica provides a different name: Gaston Hoffmann [Santippa] (French, 1883 – 1977), which seems adequate. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-70): 2496.
    Favorites
    Details

  • Le théâtre érotique de la rue de la Santé / [illustré par Rojan]. — Paris: s.n., 1932.

    Description: Hardcover, 20.5 x 16 cm, contemporary binding, ¾ calf with raised bands over marbled boards in a marbled slipcase, marbled endpapers, original wrappers preserved, t.e.g., gilt lettering to spine. Content: Scapin Maquereau, drame en un acte par M. Albert Glatigny; La grisette et l’étudiant, pièce en un acte par M. Henry Monnier; Le bout de l’an de la noce, parodie du bout de l’an de l’amour de M. Théodore Barrière par MM. Lemercier de Neuville et J. du Boys; Un caprice par Lemercier de Neuville; Les jeux de l’amour et du bazar, comédie de mœurs en un acte par Lemercier de Neuville. Title-page: LE THÉATRE ÉROTIQUE | DE LA RUE DE LA SANTE | {vignette} | PARIS | — | 1932 || Collation: 2 blanks, original front wrapper with blue lettering «LE THÉATRE ÉROTIQUE | DE LA RUE DE LA SANTE», [1]4 (2 blanks, frontis., h.t. / limitation), [2]4 (t.p., f.t.p., 2 leaves of text), 3-184 (incl. 2 blanks), original back wrapper, original spine, 2 blanks; 5 full-page illustrations within collation, 5 original drawings extraneous to collation. Pagination: [4] [1-8] 9-135 [136] [4], ils. Limitation: 20 copies on Japon and 250 copies on Vélin, this is copy № 12. Edition: 1st edition thus, illustrated with 20 stencil-coloured (au pochoir) photogravures, 5 of them full-page after Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan], enriched with 5 full-page original crayon drawings by the same artist. Provenance: Stamp with J.-P. Dutel device to 1st blank leaf. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970): 2498, p. 385; Nordmann/Christie’s (2) 515, p. 251 Contributors: Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) – artist. Joseph Albert Alexandre Glatigny (French, 1839 – 1873) – author. Henry-Bonaventure Monnier (French, 1799 – 1877) – author. Théodore Barrière (French, 1823 – 1877) – author. Louis Lemercier de Neuville [La Haudussière, Louis Lemercier] (French, 1830 – 1918) – author. Jean Charles Duboys [Du Boys] (French, 1836 – 1873) – author. Original crayon drawings by Rojan:
      Colour prints after Rojan's drawings:
    Favorites
    Details

  • Le théâtre érotique de la rue de la Santé / [illustré par Rojan]. — Paris: s.n., 1932.

    Description: Hardcover small 4to, 20.3 x 15.8 cm, contemporary binding, quarter carrot morocco with raised bands over marbled boards, marbled endpapers, original wrappers preserved, gilt lettering to spine. Content: Scapin Maquereau, drame en un acte par M. Albert Glatigny; La grisette et l’étudiant, pièce en un acte par M. Henry Monnier; Le bout de l’an de la noce, parodie du bout de l’an de l’amour de M. Théodore Barrière par MM. Lemercier de Neuville et J. du Boys; Un caprice par Lemercier de Neuville; Les jeux de l’amour et du bazar, comédie de mœurs en un acte par Lemercier de Neuville. Title-page: LE THÉATRE ÉROTIQUE | DE LA RUE DE LA SANTE | {vignette} | PARIS | — | 1932 || Collation: 3 blanks, original front wrapper with black lettering «LE THÉATRE ÉROTIQUE | DE LA RUE DE LA SANTE», [1]4 (2 blanks, frontis., h.t. / limitation), [2]4 (t.p., f.t.p., 2 leaves of text), 3-184 (incl. 2 blanks), original back wrapper, original spine, 3 blanks; 5 full-page illustrations within collation, 3 original watercolours extraneous to collation bound in between 11 and 12 blank leaves. Pagination: [4] [1-8] 9-135 [136] [4], ils. Limitation: 20 copies on Japon and 250 copies on Vélin, this is copy № 201. Edition: 1st edition thus, illustrated with 20 coloured photogravures, 5 of them full-page after Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan], enriched with 3 full-page original watercolours by him. Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970): 2498, p. 385; Nordmann/Christie’s (2) 515, p. 251 Contributors: Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan, Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) – artist. Joseph Albert Alexandre Glatigny (French, 1839 – 1873) – author. Henry-Bonaventure Monnier (French, 1799 – 1877) – author. Théodore Barrière (French, 1823 – 1877) – author. Louis Lemercier de Neuville [La Haudussière, Louis Lemercier] (French, 1830 – 1918) – author. Jean Charles Duboys [Du Boys] (French, 1836 – 1873) – author. Original watercolours:
    Favorites
    Details

  • Louis de Gonzague Frick / Auguste Brouet. Le calamiste alizé; after 1940.

    Thirteen unnumbered loose leaves 323 x 249 mm, watermarked BFK Rives, with manuscript text and vignettes produced by etching or, more likely, drypoint (see microphoto), incl. title-page, one full-page illustration and two leaves of text only; versos blank. Some leaves have registration marks. The set is housed in a cream French flapped folder (chemise) without lettering; the seller’s description is pasted to the front cover verso, glassine dust cover. Seller’s description: Cette édition in-folio du recueil de poèmes de Louis de Gonzague Frick, inconnue de Jean-Pierre Dutel, qui « a été tirée à 50 exemplaires (...) est certainement la plus rare (et a été) publiée après 1940 sur vélin (BFK) Rives » (cf. Ader, 3 mars 2020, n°155). Exemplaire «  de passe », sans justificatif, complet des 13 planches avec 11 eaux-fortes, dont une à pleine page, d'Auguste Brouet. Ref.: According to honesterotica, the first edition was published in 1938 in 65 copies: "The pink Ingres paper and the loose-leaf format tied with a red ribbon". Another source states: "Le tirage a été effectué avec marges, sur papier vélin BFK Rives au format in-4 (32,5 × 25), les planches mesurant 26,5 × 22 cm. Certains exemplaires sont sur papier blanc - Je remercie le libraire qui a pris la peine de me communiquer ces dernières informations. Pour moi, c'est bien l'édition à 65 qui est l'originale, les deux autres étant des retirages légèrement postérieurs, mais dans le détail desquels le principe de l’œuvre - un manuscrit destiné à quelques amis de l'auteur - a été quelque peu trahi." Contributors: Louis de Gonzague Frick (French, 1883 – 1958) Auguste Brouet (French, 1872 – 1941)
    Favorites
    Details
© Copyright  ,  Varshavsky Collection