UKI E SUMIDAGAWA UMEWAKAMIYA YUKIMI NO ZU: ILLUSTRATING ENJOYMENT OF THE SNOW SC

[Tokyo 1952,] Jihon. Horizontal Oban color woodblock print, sheet: 38 x 24.7 cm., print: 36.8 x 22.4 cm., excellent impression & registry, 3 old small mends to back corners and right edge, else clean & solid, seldom found. * * RARE * * . *** **** *** . . A SUPERB VIEW AT SUNRISE OF THE SNOW-COVERED SHRINE . . * This is a stunning view of the x shrine just after a heavy snow storm. The early morning pink clouds shroud the scene, revealing the tiny shrine covered in snow. . Pilgrims brave the cold to pay homage, they wear rice-straw rain coats. . This is a reprint of the mid-19th century original color woodblock print. . Kunitora worked in his own style, apart and greatly different from his contemporary woodblock print painters & artists. . *** THE ARTIST KUNITORA UTAGAWA [flourished ca. 1810's-1843]: . He was an eminent woodblock painter & woodblock printmaker, pupil of Tookuni I, influenced by Hokusai & Shunsosai Hokuju. Among several Go [studio names] he used Ichiryusai. His prints showed signs of western influence in pronounced chiaroscuro. He is well-collected by European & American museums. . He was also greatly fascinated with the arrival of foreigners and made a large number of Yokohama prints, showing westerners in daily activities. . This is a reprint of the original work executed circa 1842-1843. Surprisingly an excellent printing rendition, unexpected for this date of reprint. . The print was published by: Jihon Tonya, Edo Yoshi-cho, Oyanibashi Kado, YAMAMOTO Heikichi, printed by Takamizawa. . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** CONDITION: The print has fine impression & registry. The surface is brilliantly clean, not dusty or with old worming. There are 4 old minor and tiny mends from the back side: upper left & lower right corners are restored. The left margin has a reinforcement along the margin, this does not affect the print. The lower left corner back side shows where a tiny label was gently removed leaving a small square shaped mark. . By using a mat and framing these issues will all vanish, currently barely visible, of small impact. Our scanner could barely pick up any trace. . Far better than the average example, seldom found. . *** REFERENCE: ROBERTS, Laurance P.: A DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS: PAINTING, SCULPTURE, CERAMICS, PRINTS, LACQUER, see p.98 for details. * LANE, Richard.: IMAGES FROM THE FLOATING WORLD: THE JAPANESE PRINT INCLUDING AN ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF UKIYO-E, see pages 296-7. . * .