Imao Keinen, Keinen Kacho Gafu, 1892, Print

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Description

A wonderful large woodblock print from 1892 by imao keinen (今尾 景年), representing two alpine accentors (ブンキチョウ) among camellia sasanqua … Read more A wonderful large woodblock print from 1892 by imao keinen (今尾 景年), representing two alpine accentors (ブンキチョウ) among camellia sasanqua flowers (サザンクハ) from the album "keinen kachō gafu" (景年花鳥畫譜) volume 4, winter, plate 22

the same print is also in the collection of the british museum, see: japanese illustrated book number: jib.688. On show at minnesota maritime museum and in collections of brooklyn museum, ny.

year: 1892 (meiji 25)
size: 365 x 255 mm

colour woodcut on mulberry paper. Very good condition, full artwork, no trimming/cropping (the small holes on the margins are due to the binding and mandatory in this edition)
beautiful colours

see pulverer collection, smithsonian institution (same first edition with japanese numbers, very rare, for internal market - another more common and less exotic edition with roman number has been published the same year for export)

the listing is for the original print only. The japanese colophon is shown as a proof of the 1892 edition.

the artist imao keinen and his famous album of birds (keinen kachō gafu)

imao keinen (1845 - 1924) was born in kyoto, japan. He studied classical japanese painting, calligraphy, and printmaking. He spent most of his life creating works of art that celebrated the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Keinen specialized in kachō-e, highly detailed depictions of birds among native japanese plants and flowers.

keinen made a living as a textile designer before establishing himself as a painter and printmaker. Keinen developed a deep appreciation for the natural world and spent most of his life creating works of art that celebrated the beauty and diversity of nature. He learned the traditional japanese techniques of woodblock printing. He was part of a movement called shin-hanga, meaning “new prints,” which sought to revitalize traditional ukiyo-e printing techniques that were popular in japan in the 17th through mid-19th centuries. He is best known for bird and flower albums by keinen (keinen kachō gafu, 1892), published by nishimura soemon in four volumes of 40 prints each. Keinen’s bird and flower prints were exhibited in shows in japan and paris, where they influenced european artists who were attracted to their stark naturalism. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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