Japanese Woodblock Print, published c.1920s by The Shima Art Co. with publisher's seal in red

SIZE IN INCHES: oban, 10 x 15 inches

PROVENANCE: From the Robert O. Muller estate

COMMENTS: Very rarely seen oban-sized print published by Shima Art Co. Koson Ohara published a very similar design through Shozaburo Watanabe. Judging from their active periods, we have to surmize that Koson "borrowed" the design from Bairei Kono.

KONO BAIREI (1844-1895) was a Japanese painter, book illustrator, and art teacher. He was born (as Yasuda Bairei) and lived in Kyoto. He was a member of the broad Maruyama-Shijo school and was a master of kacho-e painting (depictions of birds and flowers) during Japan's Meiji period. In 1852, he went to study with the painter, Nakajima Raisho (1796–1871). After Raisho's death, Bairei studied with the Shijo-school master Shiokawa Bunrin (1808–77). His work included flower prints, bird prints, and landscapes, with a touch of western realism. Bairei’s Album of One Hundred Birds was published in 1881. He opened an art school in 1880 and his students included Takeuchi Seiho, Kawai Gyokudo and Uemura Shoen.

Fine, no flaws. Uncirculated print.