KACHO: BIRD & FLOWER. [A Color Shin Hanga Woodblock Print] de IMAO, Keinen

Tokyo ca. [1915-20's], Shima Art Co. Color woodblock print, 19.3 x 26 cm., excellent condition, artist's signature in block with his red cinnabar hanko [chop/seal], pristine ! FIRST & ONLY RARE EDITION . *** **** *** . . A LOVELY COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT BY THE MASTER . . . KEINEN KACHO GAFU: KEINEN'S BIRDS & FLOWERS . . . LOUISE BROWN HAS STATED OF KEINEN'S WORKS:'. . . "Perhaps the most beautiful work of this kind . . ever printed in Japan." * A tender autumn season scene depicting a bird [sparrow?] perched on a sprig of leaves turning colors. In pastels of pale green violet, brown, blue, gray and pink, black and apricot. . *** THE ARTIST, IMAO KEINEN [1845-1924]: . He was a celebrated, prize-winning Kyoto artist. He studied under Umegawa and a later pupil of Suzuki Hyakunen. See Roberts below. . *** The print was lightly tipped to a mat, which stated: . "Imported Japanese Print made from cherry wood blocks on mulberry paper Published by Shima Art Co., New York-Tokyo." . Together with a label also on the mat: "Imported Oriental Woodblock Prints Made by Hand on Genuine Rice Paper from Cherry Woodblocks." . The print will come loosely laid into this mat, showing provenance. On the verso of the print is a very small, discreet stamp: "Made in Japan," typical of prints exported around 1895-1920's. . *** Color scans are posted to our website. . *** REFERENCES: . L. Roberts: DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS, p.53-54, for biographical information. . *** References below list or discuss other prints by Keinen which contribute to the overall knowledge and insight to this print and its subject: . * Harley H. Bartlett & Hide Shohara: JAPANESE BOTANY DURING THE PERIOD OF WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING, p.239-240, exhibit 99, figure 91. * C. Mitchell: THE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS OF THE NANGA, MARUYAMA, SHIJO AND OTHER RELATED SCHOOLS OF JAPAN: A Bibliography: pages 354-355. * L. Brown: BLOCK PRINTING AND BOOK ILLUSTRATION IN JAPAN, states: "Perhaps the most beautiful work of this kind ever printed in Japan." Page 201.. * [SMITH, Lawrence]. et al.: FLOWERS AND BIRDS FROM IMAO KEINEN'S ALBUMS. * IMAO, Keinen. : KEINEN KACHO GAFU: Haru, Natsu, Aki, Fuyu. KEINEN'S BIRD AND FLOWER ILLUSTRATIONS: SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, WINTER, Taipei 1979. . * .