1892 Kiyochika Triptych Sugawara No Michizane Rare Meiji Japanese Woodblock Set

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Description

A complete, rare triptych by Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), the great Meiji artist who carried the ukiyo-e landscape tradition from the … Read more A complete, rare triptych by Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915), the great Meiji artist who carried the ukiyo-e landscape tradition from the woodblock world into the modern age. The subject is Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), the legendary Heian scholar-poet who was deified after his death as Tenjin, the god of learning - a subject of deep cultural resonance in Japan and one that Kiyochika treated with his characteristic dramatic light and shadow.

The set was printed in Meiji 25 (February 1892) and came fresh from a long-term family storehouse ('hatsudashi' first release). Each sheet measures approximately 37 x 25 cm; the full triptych spans roughly 75 cm (29.5 in). The prints show honest age: toning, stains and creasing consistent with more than a century of storage, with small tears possible; all condition details are visible in the photographs.

Details
Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
Subject: Sugawara no Michizane
Date: Meiji 25 (1892), printed February 1, 1892
Medium: Original Japanese woodblock print (nishiki-e)
Format: Complete oban triptych (three sheets)
Sheet size: approx. 37 x 25 cm each (approx. 29.5 x 14.6 in combined)
Origin: Japan
Condition: Used. Age-related toning, stains, creasing; possible small tears. See less