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a.imagelink {color:#0000FF;} a:hover.imagelink {color:#0000FF;} a:visited.imagelink {color:#800080;} a.imagelink img.saleimage { border: 2px solid #0000FF; } a:visited.imagelink img.saleimage { border: 2px solid #800080; } Antique Japanese Woodblock Print by Ikkei Shosai - Shellfish Gathering c.1871
Presented is a beautiful Japanese full oban-size original woodblock print created by Ikkei Shosai, an artist of the early Meiji era. Little is known about Ikkei Shōsai‘s life. He was a student of Utagawa Hiroshige III (1842–1894) and was active between 1860 and the late 1870s. He produced meisho-e (prints of famous places) of a radically changing Tokyo and comic scenes (giga) of Edo Life in the early Meiji Era, such as Comic Scenes of Thirty-six Famous Places in Tokyo (Tōkyō meisho sanjūroku gisen, 1871-1872). His most famous work was the series Forty-Eight Famous Views of Tokyo (Tōkyō meisho shijūhakkei, 1871).
The print depicts a seashore with people gathering shellfish in the background. In the foreground, you can a man catching a large fish with his bare hands. Susaki, a strip of land along Edo (now Tokyo) Bay, was known for excellent shellfish harvests during low tide in the spring. Shiohigari(Shellfish gathering at low tide), which was one of the beach activities for the people in Edo, could be seen as an annual event in March on the beaches such as Shinagawa, Shibaura, Fukagawa Suzaki. Among all, Suzaki was especially crowded with many people, as it is a famous spot for shellfish gathering. It seems that sometimes fish can be caught in the low tide as well.
Several ukiyo-e artists used the subject matter of people gathering shellfish in Susaki. Utagava (Ando) Hiroshige used it several times in his prints. Also, Hiroshige II has a print very similar to this one. It looks like Ikkei was referencing Hiroshige prints as well as Hiroshige II one since they were easily recognizable at the time.
The print was made using the Japanese woodblock technique during Ikkei's lifetime. I have provided a picture of Hiroshige II's print with a similar composition - just for comparison.
AUTHOR: Ikkei Shosai
PUBLISHER: Tsutaya Yoshizo
TITLE: One Hundred Piles by Okawa River
SERIES: Forty-Eight Famous Views of Tokyo
CREATED: c.1871
PAPER: washi paper
METHOD OF PRINTING: Woodblock printing
PRINTED: Lifetime printing circa 1871
OVERALL SIZE: Aiban size 13" X 8.5"
The condition is good. Great detail and colors, some minor toning and soiling of the paper. Some worm holes were repaired with patches on the back. Margins trimmed. No backing - the paper is fragile, be very careful!
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