Paul Jacoulet
(1902-1960)
"Apres la Danse. 'Celebes'," 1940
Woodcut in colors with silver, bronze, and gold highlights on handmade mulberry paper, watermark artist's initials
Edition: one of fewer than 275 total impressions
Signed in pencil above the artist's red ink butterfly stamp in the image at the lower left: Paul Jacoulet; the title printed in the lower margin, at right; stamp-numbered 194/350 in red ink on the verso of the lower right margin corner; with the black ink stamps of both the carver, Kentaro Maeda, and the printer, Shunosuke Fujii, in the lower portion of the right margin
Image: 15.5" H x 11.75" W; Sheet: 18.375" H x 14.25" W
Literature: Miles 67

Other Notes: According to Richard Miles, "...Jacoulet's numbering system was eccentric at best....Existence of an edition does not mean that the edition was printed in full, and in most cases many fewer were pulled. It was Jacoulet's practice to print only what he expected to sell, or had already sold, to subscribers....In addition, he tried not to duplicate numbers, and largely succeeded. Therefore, [in a hypothetical example], although a print stamped 290/350 is known to exist, there are fewer than 100 actual impressions with the edition of 350 stamp, because 200 of the earlier numbers were used up in the edition of 150 and 250. Even the edition of 150, of which number 150/150 is known, may have existed in fewer impression, because Jacoulet started printing some editions of 250 before completing the first printing....It goes without saying that many of the pre-war prints that did not leave Japan prior to 1941 are no longer in existence, and in many cases the delicate vegetable pigments have faded."

For this particular image, Miles states that the total print run included fewer than 100 impressions numbered out of 250, and fewer than 175 numbered out of 350. He goes on to say that there are two states of this print: the first state, as with our impression, has bronze, silver, and gold metallic decoration; whereas the second omits the silver, and is thought to be later.

Overall good condition. The colors fresh and the sheet with full margins and deckled edges. Some very soft handling creases in the image at right, visible primarily in raking light. A few unobtrusive, pinpoint-sized foxmarks. The usual rectangular notch out of the lower right margin corner for the alignment of the various colored blocks. The slightest hint of light staining showing in the margins. Hinged to the back mat in two places from the verso of the upper margin corners.

Framed under Plexiglas: 21" H x 17" W x 1.5" D Condition reports are offered as a courtesy and are typically published in Moran's catalogue or can be made available upon request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of others. Buyers are responsible for determining to their own satisfaction the true nature and condition of any lot prior to bidding. Though buyers are not legally required to inspect lots prior to purchase, failure to do so may constitute a waiver of complaint that an item was not delivered in a condition equal to the existent condition at the auction.