Japanese Woodblock Print, 1919, 1st edition (with artist’s signature in red crayon),

SIZE IN INCHES: 11 x 16.25 inches

COMENTS:

Rising above and set against a distance from the desert, the Taj Mahal emerges white and dreamlike. Bartlett made the quest to this exotic locale on his first trip to Asia. It’s no coincidence the caravan is positioned at the center of the composition. At the time of the artist’s visit, the sole means of accessing this remote location was via camel caravan, which took days, if not weeks, depending on the onset of one’s journey. One can only imagine the arduous trek required to set eyes on this site. Bartlett gives the viewer a glimpse of what the travel-weary voyagers must have seen as the ethereal white structure rose above the horizon, signaling the final approach of their quest.
This Bartlett design from 1919 is an exceedingly rare work. The great Kanto earthquake of 1923 destroyed the original Watanabe print shop and studio, including the printing blocks and unsold inventory for this design. Only impressions of this design sold before the earthquake and removed from Tokyo survived the earthquake and ensuing fires that consumed the city. This work’s desirability is further bolstered by the red crayon signature at the bottom margin as well as its excellent state of preservation, particularly the print’s lush and vivid colors.

VG, no flaws