Framed Woodblock Print Retour de la Jungle Tondana Celebes by Paul Jacoulet

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A Japanese Woodblock print by Paul Jacoulet (French, 1896-1960) entitled Retour de la Jungle Tondana Celebes (Return from the jungles … Read more A Japanese Woodblock print by Paul Jacoulet (French, 1896-1960) entitled Retour de la Jungle Tondana Celebes (Return from the jungles Tondana Celebes). Created in 1948, this print was one of the three triple-figure compositions by Jacoulet and best received. It was originally part of the dedication get for General Douglas MacArthur. The unusual configuration is further enhanced with elaborate ornamentation and brilliant colors. The yellow scarf covering the lower figure's head was made from gofun (shell powders) and the lips of the ladies were highlighted with a fine pink coral powder to render them an illuminated quality.
The print is signed in pencil and with the artist's red sparrow stamp lower right in plate, printed title in the lower right bottom margin, and carver Maeda's and printer's seal Honda in the lower right-side margin. The image size is 11.75" x 15.5". The print is nicely housed in a gilt wood frame with custom mat.
Three editions 150 first with fewer than 90 realized, 250 second with less than 160 impressions, and the last 350 with less than 60 made.
Reference: No 48 "The Prints of Paul Jacoulet: A Complete Illustrated Catalog by Richard Miles.

An eccentric artist of his time, Paul Jacoulet was born in France but lived most his life in Japan. He is considered as one of the few western artists who have mastered the art of woodblock printing sufficiently to be recognized in Japan. Largely rooted in traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques and ukiyo-e style, the artist developed a unique and recognizable style infused with his own aesthetic vision and technical approaches that set himself apart from Japanese artists. Nearly all portraits, Jacoulet depicted a wide range of people he encountered in his extensive travelling in the Far East as well as South Pacific. Often in their traditional outfits and surrounded by endogenous flora and props, his models often convey a more western sense of pose, with some directly confronting the viewers. Jacoulet occupies a special place in the world of ukiyo-e, the artist formed a bridge between the East and West. See less