Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period

Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period
Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period

Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period

Ancient Art, Antiques, & Fine Collectables. "Pictures of a Floating World". The print is of a type of Japanese genre called "Ukiyo-e" or literally "Pictures of a Floating World" that were popular in Japan during the 19th century. {see below for a more details on "Ukiyo-e"}.

This original woodblock print is printed on Japanese Washi paper without any further backing and measures about 9 1/8 x 12 1/4. The print is in good condition with some brown foxing and toning due to age that could be professionally restored. Please view photos as they are part of the description.

The RARE subject matter of this ukiyo-e, depicts a "Flying Spirit" floating in the clouds above a building. But this "Flying Spirit" is depicted as if it was a work on art for sale in a gallery.

Look carefully in the upper, right-hand corner see photo # 2 and you will see what looks like a Japanese price tag on the work as it is displayed on a black stand. Very RARE subject matter and highly collectable! The Japanese term kanji for the Chinese characters literally means "Han characters" and is written using the same characters as the Chinese word hanzi simplified Chinese.

Based upon a wonderful translation offered by a friend of mine in Japan, he believes the script is. So the literal English translation would be.

Number 1 Production Copy Number. Or depending how one reads the script, another translation could also be. Which translates into English as Number 34 Number.

As you can see, in either case, the Kanji script the artist put in this small tag on the corner of the print refers not to his name, but to the number of copies made from the woodblock. It is indeed a most unique way to include a copy number in one's work. In English, it could even be translated as "1/34" which means it is the first print made in a run of 34 copies before the master woodblock was destroyed.

Details of Ukiyo-e (courtesy of Wikipedia). Literally "Pictures of the floating world" Japanese pronunciation: ukijo. E is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints (or woodcuts) and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters. It is the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in Japan.

Usually the word ukiyo is literally translated as "floating world" in English, referring to a conception of an evanescent world, impermanent, fleeting beauty and a realm of entertainments (kabuki, courtesans, geisha) divorced from the responsibilities of the mundane, everyday world; "pictures of the floating world", i. Ukiyo-e, are considered a genre unto themselves. The novelist contemporary to the time period, Asai Ryoi, in his Ukiyo monogatari. "Tales of the Floating World", c. , provides some insight into the concept of the floating world.

Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves; singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating... Refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current: this is what we call the floating world.. Please look carefully at the 4x macro photos as they are part of the description. The first image is scanned and the remaining images are photos. Slight color variation from scanned image compared to the digital photos taken under artificial light.

Monitor settings may also change the color of the images. What a great present as it is the ancestor of present day anime! Ready for matting and framing! Please look at other wonderful treasures I have for sale on e-Bay, including other Sake cups! This item is in the category "Antiques\Asian Antiques\Japan\Prints".

The seller is "houghton-usa" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Africa, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Norway, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Republic of Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, French Guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macau, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Switzerland, Brazil.


Original Japanese Anime Woodblock Ukiyoe Print withFlying Spirit! C. Meiji Period