53 Stations of the Tokaido by various artists

[Baka Gaijin]

Here is some eye candy, for everyone in current lock-down mode.

 

53 Stations of the Tokaido:

 

Here is the route, from Station 1 - Nihonbashi in Edo to Station 53 The great Sanjo bridge in Kyoto.

 

https://www.wdl.org/en/item/9933/

 

However, it turns out there were actually 55 stations along the way, confused?? 

 

 

 

Here's what the road looked like in the early days of photography:

http://oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/list.php?req=2b

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dkaid%C5%8D_(road)#/media/File:Tokaido1825.jpg

 

Now, the artists:

 

Hokusai:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc224949

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc143100

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc224914

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mia/62742

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc157713

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc142258

 

 

Hiroshige:

https://www.hiroshige.org.uk/Tokaido_Series/Tokaido_Series.htm

https://www.fujiarts.com/Japanese-prints/Static-Sets/Hoeido-Tokaido/0-main.html

https://www.teamwakon.com/blogs/news/82153862-the-fifty-three-stations-of-the-tokaido

https://www.hiroshige.org.uk/Tokaido_Series/Tokaido_Road.htm

 

Hiroshige II:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc232975

 

Sadahide:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc232577

 

Kuniyoshi:

http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/Main%20-%20Landscapes.htm

 

Utagawa Kunisada:

http://www.kunisada.de/Kunisada-landscape/early-landscapes-0.htm

 

 

Toyohara Kunichika:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc152549

 

Kawanabe Kyosai:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc231880

 

Utagawa Yoshitsuya:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc233085

 

Utagawa Yoshitora:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc231921

 

Ochiai Yoshiiku

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mak/11565-77

 

By the time we get to Meiji, the interest wanes in favour of other subject matter, however there are some images:

 

Yoshitoshi:

http://www.yoshitoshi.net/series/Tokaido.html

 

Fujikawa Tamenobu

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/artelino/45856g1

 

Now in the 20th century:

 

Kawase Hasui:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc205883

 

Tsuchiya Koitsu:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/jaodb/Tsuchiya_Koitsu-No_Series-Tokaido_Yaizu_no_hara-00027714-030421-F06

 

Soseki Komoro:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/jaodb/Soseki_Komori-53_Stations_of_the_Tokaido_Road-Odawara-00032632-021002-F06

 

Here you can see the Stations as they are today:

http://www.guusrijven.com/archive/eng/projects/tokaido/index.html

 

Enjoy お願いします

[PietroParis]

Now in the 20th century:

 

Kawase Hasui:

https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc205883

 

I have this one!

 

 

Cheers, Pietro

[Bugyotsuji]

Lovely! (Showa 7)

[PietroParis]

Lovely! (Showa 7)

Showa 7 (1932) was the first edition. The 6mm round seal in the lower-right corner of both the MFA print and mine points to later (but still lifetime) editions, 1946-1957.

[Brian]

These come up for online auction here in SA in about an hour.
But this is the only pic I have, so probably not worth the effort. Current price is about $60 for all 4. Anyone see anything worth taking a chance on?
Largest sheet size: 37 by 25cm

https://auction.oldjwauctioneers.com/lots/view/4-C60M7/lot-446

 

[Bugyotsuji]

60 what kind of dollars? Great study pieces. If you like them, what's not to love? Do it, do it, do it! 

 

(Foxy lady on the left... ) 

[PietroParis]

An original Shotei print would usually cost much more than 60$, see here, here and here. It's hard to judge from your picture what is it that they are selling. I'm not aware that Watanabe made posthumous reprints (atozuri) of that one but I can check.

 

EDIT: more examples for Shotei: https://ukiyo-e.org/image/mfa/sc205668

 

EDIT 2: no reprints of that one in Watanabe's catalogue. If you research that artist, note that he also used the art name Hiroaki.

[PietroParis]

The abalone and needlefish print is by Hiroshige, see here. Also much more expensive than 60$ if original. The problem is that, for all you know, you might be buying modern inkjet prints (except the first one, where I don't think they would have bothered to fake the "foxing"). But if you like them and they don't shoot up in price you might want to roll the dice.

[Brian]

Thanks Pietro. Japanese prints are not common in SA, but someone (or a few) must know what they are, as the price has gone to over $100 in the past half hour.
I like the Hiroshige one. I suspect they may be original and are described as 19th C. But let's see. Appreciate the advice.

[PietroParis]

The peacock is by Ito Sozan (1884-?), see here.

[PietroParis]

I like the Hiroshige one. I suspect they may be original and are described as 19th C. But let's see. Appreciate the advice.

 

The first edition of the rightmost one was in the 1930s. The peacock also must date to the early 20th century if the artist was really born in 1884. Nothing wrong with that anyway, in fact "shin hanga" can fetch very high prices.

[PietroParis]

SO? Any luck with the auction?

[Brian]

Talk about quarantine fever, lol!
I decided not to proceed after the bid was at about $130. But when I came back from eating dinner, I saw your question above and at the same time, saw the live bidding was coming up in 2 minutes for that lot.
So I threw out one more bid, and got them for about $175 including premium.
At a time when my disposable income is zero, I think I'm nuts and irresponsible.   But I'm really looking forward to seeing what I bought and if any are ok. Will only be able to get them in about 3 weeks. So hold thumbs

[PietroParis]

Congratulations! I don't know what to say about the "foxy" one (except that it reminds me of Utamaro), but if any of the remaining three is actually old you've got a great deal.

[Brian]

Yeah, that's what I was banking on too. I like all 3 actually. Odd situation where auctioneers can't have a viewing. I will update when I get them and we can analyze. Thanks for the thread Malcolm

[PietroParis]

AH, the magic of the internet!

 

It's in fact Toyokuni not Utamaro.

 

In your print the greens are completely faded and the paper is "foxy". I don't know if it is worth restoring, but it might be valuable too.

[Brian]

Well, the restrictions on couriers were finally lifted during lockdown, so I was able to have my purchases delivered today after paying for them over 6 weeks ago!
I am over the moon. The auction house did a terrible job of describing. They didn't mention that each one was framed behind glass in nice tasteful frames. The style of framing is very old fashioned...panel pins and glued backing to the frame, and there is a thin angle-cut card around each print. Not the best way to be able to appreciate them, or take them out. But it tells me these were on the wall of a house for many, may years. Maybe 50's/60's?
I don't know how I will examine them closer, so I may leave them as is, and keep them in a room that doesn't get direct sun.

To my completely novice eyes, they appear genuine.
But this weekend I will take some good pics and post them here, and perhaps yourself and Malcolm and anyone else can advise me?

They are so much better in hand.

[Brian]

Just a few quick pics. Not very detailed. Some of the darker areas are reflections from myself and the room. Hard to photograph them behind glass.
The foxing on the Toyokuni is quite bad, but it is a nice print. Lots of texture to the paper, and some impressed designs forming part of the print and the dress of the subject.
I have a LOT to learn about this subject. But I suspect I got a good deal.

[PietroParis]

Congratulations Brian, this does definitely look like a great deal!

 

As to what to do now, it's obviously your call. If the frames are really as old as you suspect, the odds are that the mounting/matting was not acid-free. In this case, the proper thing to do would be to take the prints out and have them re-framed with modern acid-free material – or, even better from the point of view of the prints, store them safely in a conservation box. Unfortunately, this will probably reveal "mat burns", leaving aside other possible horrors such as trimmed margins or glued backing. Enjoying them as they are while trying not to think about it might be a rational strategy after all... In any case you are not in a hurry, whatever damage the prints may have gone through over the years should not get drastically worse in the coming months. Thus, if your goal is to eventually hang the prints, I would suggest that you obtain an estimate of the price of a new mounting/matting before disassembling the old one.

 

Looking forward to more photos! Cheers, Pietro

[Bugyotsuji]

Congratulations, Brian. An adventure ahead!

Seeing the title of the thread again, may I once more praise Malcolm?

Here is something I picked up last summer in the UK, a 行書版 Gyoshoban by Hiroshige of 39, Okazaki Castle, (where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in 1542). Faded, and behind glass, so apologies for the quality.

 

I liked it because it reminds me of a trip I took to Okazaki Castle, and the long spear that I saw in the Tokugawa Museum nearby.

Here is a deep colour version of 三十九: https://www.benricho.org/Unchiku/Ukiyoe_NIshikie/HIroshige53-9saku/39.html#group1-3

[Baka Gaijin]

Well done Brian,

 

What Pietro said!!!

 

Hi Piers, there's an  interesting thing about the little pendant hanging from the shaft of the Yari in your print, given artistic licence.

 

This demonstration of Owarikan - Ryu So Jutsu will show you what it is most likely for:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGJa657qFOw

 

 

PS from the Saya shape, it might be depicting a Jumonji (Magari) Yari blade, fighting with that is shown at 6.22.

[Bugyotsuji]

Wonderful link, Malcolm, thank you. I had a Kuda-Yari once but it slipped from my hands.

 

As to the Yari-jirushi, off-topic for a second, something like this?

[Bernard]

Brian, the frames of your prints are around 50/60 years old, as you suspected. Mine are similar (cf. pics).

Personnally, in order to avoid bad surprises or unnecessary costs, I would leave the prints as they are and enjoy them as decorative objects on walls not exposed to direct sunlight.

 

Bernard D

[Brian]

Thanks guys. That bears out what I suspected Bernard. Framers label at the back is from about that time. Old German experts. Good advice Pietro.
I had suspected if i dismounted that there would probably be a discoloration around the mat. Hopefully it isn't glued or otherwise damaged.
So if I had it remounted in a conservation way, they could probably mount it the same dimensions as currently if it will show a border. Not sure what the downside would be aside from cost. But I'm also happy with them as is.
The most damaged of them, the Toyokuni, has the SM Shiba guarantee at the back. But it is pretty far gone. I'd be happy to be assured all are original though. Will investigate the cost of conservation framing. There appear to be many professionals doing it here.
Thanks all, great info.
 

[PietroParis]

If you want some books on Japanese prints, I strongly recommend this publisher.

 

I have four of their books, all on 20th century's prints: "Printed to Perfection" (Shin Hanga only) and "Waves of Renewal" (Shin Hanga and Sosaku Hanga) provide good overviews. Both include a section on Shotei, but alas neither shows your print. "Water and Shadow" is a full catalogue of Hasui's pre-earthquake prints, "Visions of Japan" is a compilation of his greatest hits.

 

Another nice little book on Shin Hanga is this one. Maybe you can pick it up when you finally go to Japan...

 

Cheers, Pietro