Japanese Woodblock Print, 1924, this later edition with silver mica inks in hair ornaments and kimono design

SIZE IN INCHES: shikishi, 10 x 11 inches

Woodblocks by Kitano Tsunetomi are rarely found outside of museums today. His works are held by The British Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, Abeno Harukas Art Museum of Osaka, Japan, and The Museum of Modern Art, New York, among many others.

TSUNETOMI KITANO (1880-1947)was born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. His real name was Kitano Tomitaro. He subsequently moved to Osaka, where he studied under Inano Toshitsune, before working for the Osaka Shimpo newspaper, illustrating novels serialized in the paper. In 1910, Sudaku-mushi (Chirping Insects) became his first work to be selected to appear in the 4th Bunten Exhibition, and he gained a reputation as one of Osaka’s foremost bijinga (pictures of beautiful women) artists. In 1912, he formed the Taisho Bijutsu-kai (Taisho Art Association.) In 1914, he set up the painting school Hakuyosha, and successfully submitted his work Negai-o-ito (Thread of Hope) to the 1st Inten Exhibition. His association with the exhibition continued until his submission of Atataka (Warmth) to the 9th Bunten, after which he instead became active in the Nihon Bijutsuin, an artistic association dedicated to promoting painting and sculpture in Japan, particularly nihonga, and the organizer of the Inten Exhibition. He played a key role in the Osaka art world, participating in the creation of the Osaka Art Exhibition in 1915 and the formation of the Osaka Sawakai in 1918. After the Second World War, he exhibited his work Sekitori (Sumo Wrestler) in the 31st Inten Exhibition. He passed away in 1947 at the age of 67 in Nakakawachi-gun in Osaka.

Good, with flaws as shown