Hotei Japanese Prints

LAST WEEKEND PAN & OUR DYNAMIC BOOTH | The last weekend of PAN Amsterdam has arrived. Time flies! From 19 - 26 November 2023 you can find our stand directly left from the entrance, booth 135 at RAI Amsterdam. We look forward to welcoming you: with Japanese Prints, lacquer, bronze and much more. See you soon?

A lot of art has already found a new home, so we selected some beautiful prints and objects from our stock and changed up our booth! Come and see for yourself our dynamic and changing booth, with now for example this spectacular and rather unusual lacquer panel featuring a corn design, or this n**e Rubenesque woman reading from Ishikawa Toraji’s famous (in 1935 considered rather scandalous!) series ‘Ten Types of Female Nudes’.

NATSUME: SMALL LACQUER TREASURES | Hotei Japanese Prints will present a varied selection of Japanese art at the PAN Amsterdam Art Fair, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam . Over the years our collection of lacquer objects has grown, in particular our collection of natsume. These tea caddies are used for the Japanese tea ceremony to store the tea and often small lacquer treasures full of creative innovation and centuries old traditions and techniques. We will bring more than 20 natsume to the art fair to show their versatile nature and beauty.

Today we would like to highlight this extraordinary natsume by Hiki Ikkan XVI (b.1963). This dark green natsume has an unusual shape: instead of the often classic jujube fruit shape, this natsume is shaped in the form of a bamboo stalk. The top and bottom consist of black lacquer, with a silver rim in the middle to imitate a bamboo node.

Not only the shape is unusual, the texture of the natsume too deviates from the usual lacquered surface. The technique used here is called ikkan-bari (一閑張): washi (Japanese paper) is glued on a wooden base and one layer of lacquer is applied on top of it (in stark contrast with many other lacquer techniques which often use countless layers). This results in simple yet sophisticated lacquerware unlike any other.
The Hiki Ikkan family is credited as the founders of this technique combining washi with lacquer. The family lineage goes back as far as 1578, when the founder was born. For centuries the artisan family has been collaborating with successive generations of the Senke schools of tea ceremony, supplying them with tea ceremony lacquerware such as natsume and kōgō (incense containers).

Curious to learn more about natsume and lacquerware? Come see our collection for yourself at Booth 135, directly left from the entrance! Besides natsume we will bring kōgō (incense containers), mizusashi (water vessels), lacquer boxes and even a lacquered panel featuring a corn design!

A RARE COLLABORATION | Hotei Japanese Prints will present a varied selection of Japanese art at the PAN Amsterdam Art Fair, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam. Over the years our collection of lacquer objects has grown, in particular our collection of natsume. These tea caddies are used for the Japanese tea ceremony to store the tea and often small lacquer treasures full of creative innovation and centuries old traditions and techniques. We will bring more than 20 natsume to the art fair to show their versatile nature and beauty.

Today we would like to highlight this piece that is executed by two lacquer artisans, which is an unusual occurence. This vermillion flat (hira) natsume is excuted in carved red lacquer style (tsuishu) of Murakami (Niigata Prefecture) in a floral pattern. On the original box, a small seal on the lid indicates that this natsume is a collaboration (gō).
The box is signed by the artist who did the carving: Watanabe Akezumi (1943-?) while the lacquering is executed by Minohara Kōichi (1942-?).

Watanabe Akeizumi was born in 1943 in Niigata Prefecture. He graduated in lacquer carving in 1959 from the Murakami Prefectural School of Trade.
Minohara Kōichi on the other hand was born in Murakami, Niigata Prefecture in 1942 and graduated as a lacquer artist under his teacher Togashi Sukeji in 1958. He won several awards during his career, including the Niigata Governor’s Award in the lacquerware category. In 1976 he was officially recognized by the Minister of Trade and Industry as a ‘Master of Traditional Crafts’ (dentōkōgeishi).

Curious to learn more about natsume and lacquerware? Come see our collection for yourself at Booth 135, directly left from the entrance! Besides natsume we will bring kōgō (incense containers), mizusashi (water vessels), lacquer boxes and even a lacquered panel featuring a corn design!

YOSH*TOSHI’S VERTICAL DIPTYCHS | Hotei Japanese Prints will present a varied selection of Japanese art at the PAN Amsterdam Art Fair, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam. One of our highlights will fill an entire wall: no fewer than nine of Tsukioka Yosh*toshi’s (1839-1892) famous vertical diptychs!

The vertical diptych is an unusual format, which in the 19th century was mainly used to depict beautiful women (bijin) in stunning kimonos. Except for these prints the format was rarely used, until Yosh*toshi teamed up with his publisher Matsui Eikichi. In the 1880s they would publish sixteen vertical diptychs within a two-year time span. They were a great success: some of the blocks were sold to a new publisher who reissued the prints, resulting in several versions of the same designs. These breath-taking designs feature clever compositions, exquisite printing and refreshing takes on known tales.

One of these diptychs is Two brave men battling on the roof of Hōryūkaku (1885). The men are two characters from the epic 19th century serial novel The Diary of Eight Dogs, written by Takizawa Bakin (1767-1848). Inuzuka Shino Moritake, chief of police (on top) and Inukai Genpachi Nobumichi. Each hero in the story represents one of the eight samurai virtues and has a name including the ideograph for 'dog' (Inu). These eight dog warriors are born by a mysterious union of Princess Fuse and the god dog Yatsufusa in eight different families. Through fateful encounters the heroes get to know each other while they try to restore the fallen Satomi samurai clan.

This rooftop scene became a favourite amongst artists and the public. The men are fighting over a magical sword owned by Ashikaga Shigeuji. Inuzuka has fled to the rooftop with the sword, while Inukai has been ordered by Ashikaga Shigeuji to retrieve it. They cease fighting when they realize they are in fact related to each other, and escape by boat on the Tone river. Inuzuka is easily recognizable to the public by his more simple attire and playful fighting style, holding the magical sword, while Inukai is often pictured holding a weapon in his mouth, wearing a headband and elaborate garment including many colourful tassels.

Come discover these vertical diptychs, a bold choice by Yosh*toshi and his publisher at Booth 135, directly left from the entrance!

Image: Tsukioka Yosh*toshi 月岡 芳年 (1839-1892)
Vertical diptych Two brave men battling on the roof of Hōryūkaku (Hōryūkaku ryōyū tsutomu芳涼閣両雄動). Published by Matsui Eikichi in 1885 (10).
Signed: Ōju Yosh*toshi ga, plus Taiso seal. Gakō (artist) Tsukioka Yonejirō (in publisher's cartouche).

LACQUER AND GLASS: A GREAT COMBINATION! | Hotei Japanese Prints will present a varied selection of Japanese art at the PAN Amsterdam Art Fair, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam. Today we introduce an exceptional artist who combines lacquer with glass!

Fujita Kyōhei (1921-2004) is a renowned glass artisan, most famous for his ornate glass boxes (kazaribako). At the PAN we will present two rare hand-blown glass mizusashi by the artist. Mizusashi are water containers, used in the Japanese tea ceremony. They hold the water that is used to rinse the tea bowl, but also to fill the kettle in which the water is boiled for the tea. Mizusashi are usually ceramic, with a lacquer lid, or composed out of lacquer entirely. They come in different shapes and sizes. A mizusashi that combines lacquer with glass however is rare: these mizusashi are modern and traditional at the same time due to this fusion of materials and the modern patterns.

The mizusashi are composed out of colourless glass with dark violet fused-in and fused-on colour crumbs, decorated with cracked gold and platinum silver foil. The mizusashi, one in the shape of a truncated pyramid with round edges, the other diamond-shaped with bevelled edges are made in 1992 and 1990 and come with a flat black lacquer lid.
Fujita Kyōhei has made great contributions to the world of glass art: in 1972 Fujita, together with other artists, established the Japan Glass Art Crafts Association in 1972. His curiosity to discover all possibilities and techniques of this material led him to travel to the famous glass-making island Murano in Italy in 1977 and also to study crysall glass works in 1981 at the Orrefors crystal company in Sweden.

His exquisite craftmanship has not remained unnoticed: he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon (1994) and was also awarded Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon, designated Person of Cultural Merits for his outstanding cultural contributions to the world of glass art (1997). In 2002 he was decorated Order of Cultural Merit. The Kyōhei Fujita Museum of Glass (Matsushima, 1996) showcases his work.

Come see these unique mizusashi at Booth 135, directly left from the entrance!

HOTEI: FAN OF FAN PRINTS! | Hotei Japanese Prints will present an exceptional selection of Japanese prints, with a number of unique themes at the PAN Amsterdam Art Fair, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam. Today we would like to highlight a group of fan prints: no less than seven in mint condition!

Fan prints (uchiwa-e) were made for the hot humid summer time, when people would try to cool down by fanning themselves. The fans (uchiwa) consisted of a rigid, flat fan-shaped bamboo frame with a handle. The prints, with their designs matching the outline of the fan, were printed and then cut along the margins and pasted onto the frame.

Fan stores were soon to be found everywhere – from shops along pilgrim routes to temporary stalls at festivals – and the shops had elaborate sample books for customers to choose their favorite design. Often a fan had a special image on one side and a fairly simple or neutral image on the back, including a reference to the season.

By the end of the 18th century fans had become inexpensive fashion items and a trending accessory: each trip to a theater or tea house had to be accompanied by a different fan. Imagine being seen twice with the same fan?! Demand was sky-high and thousands of fan designs are known: the artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) alone is known to have made more than 650 (!) fan designs. The tradition goes back to as far as the 1680s, when printed fans started to hit the market.

Alas: once they were cut and glued to the bamboo frame the print would be irreversibly damaged forever: the bamboo ribs would remain visible in the print even after being unmounted. The unprinted white corners would be lost and often the entire fans would simply end up as trash. Fan prints in good condition are therefore rare: those that have survived in pristine condition were probably rescued – unmounted – from the sample books of fan sellers, neatly preserved by dealers and collectors.

Come see these unique prints, epitome of creativity and graphic inventiveness, at Booth 135, directly left from the entrance!

As a bonus: another print we will have available at the fair features Itō Shinsui’s depiction of an ‘Ideal Japanese Woman’ in c. 1942 showing us that even in modern times the uchiwa fan is an indispensable item! A nice detail is that the bamboo ribs are cleverly highlighted in the design by blind printing.

ARTISTS COLLABORATING | During the 19th century it is quite common to find two signatures by different artists on a single Japanese print, especially in the period when the Utagawa school was virtually in control of print design between 1830 and 1865. Power was in the hands of Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). Kunisada and Kuniyoshi had huge studio’s and competition was weak. Kunisada was the specialist for the design of beauties and actors, Kuniyoshi for warrior prints and Hiroshige for landscapes and prints of birds and flowers.

At the PAN Amsterdam Artfair, Hotei will present a significant number of examples of collaboration between these members of the Utagawa school: a fan print involving Kunisada and Hiroshige will be on view, where Kunisada contributes the beauty and Hiroshige adds the landscape. Similarly a beautiful triptych depicting a moonlit scene from the tale of Genji where Kunisada has placed Prince Genji and his women in a wide and impressive coastal landscape by Hiroshige.

It seems as if in these examples of cooperation, the Utagawa school wanted to flaunt its skills and individual specialties. Other examples of inter Utagawa school cooperation include the publication of series of prints in which all three artists contributed different designs expressing their individual skills.
This phenomenon can indeed be explained as a marketing strategy, to show the versatility of the Utagawa school and its skills in the various genres. But in view of the dominance of the school, one wonders if such an explanation is sufficient. It also assumes that indeed the Utagawa school did have a collective strategy, involving centrally regulated production planning.

In any case, it resulted in spectacular prints. Come and see them at PAN Amsterdam, Nov. 19-26, at RAI Amsterdam. Hotei Japanese Prints can be found directly left from the entrance at Booth 135.

How a celebrity destroyed Japanese art: the case of Freddie Mercury.

Freddie Mercury is almost universally admired, and I certainly love his music. Additionally, it turns out that he was an avid collector of Japanese art, specifically of Japanese prints. On the 11th of September Sotheby’s London sells his collection. Fredie Mercury’s prints are being offered here.

It turns out that he has acquired a large number of prints from the venerable Henri Vever collection which was auctioned between 1974 and 1977. These incredible prints, generally in excellent condition, were acquired and framed by Freddie and the result is terrible: beautiful prints by Harunobu, Koruysai and many others have been turned into wrecks and are now advertised by Sotheby’s as something really special.

Please compare the two prints: first the Harunobu how it should look like, then Freddie's Harunobu.

However great of a musician Freddie Mercury was, he did not know how to take care of his treasures. Or perhaps, because of his wealth, he did not care to acknowledge that he has a responsibility towards the art he has acquired! Shame on Sotheby too! https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/freddie-mercury-a-world-of-his-own-in-love-with-japan/suzuki-harunobu-1725-1770-returning-sail-at-the

Image: Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770). Returning Sail at the Towel Rack from the series Eight Fashionable Views of Interiors. Ca. 1768.

A RARE FIND: ORIGINAL LITHOGRAPH BY VAN GOGH | Excuse us for diverging slightly from our usual subject (Japanese art) to a Dutch artist, a rather famous one: Vincent van Gogh! When the owner of Hotei Japanese Prints, Chris Uhlenbeck, was asked to come and inspect a few Japanese prints, he discovered a rare lithograph by Vincent van Gogh. This impression was known to exist somewhere out there, but up to that day its whereabouts were unknown.

It is not well known that the world-famous Dutch painter also produced 9 lithographs in 1882-3 in an attempt to offer affordable art to a larger public. It was probably not a successful enterprise since the total number of documented impressions of the nine designs is between 50 and 60.

The lithograph in question is an impression of ‘The Old Man Drinking Coffee’. Pictured is war veteran Adrianus Jacobus Zuyderland (note the decoration pinned on his chest), who was living in an alms house in The Hague. Van Gogh went there often to sketch the elderly residents and Zuyderland, 72 at the time, was his favourite model.

In 2016 another impression of this lithograph was offered for sale at Sotheby’s, but this turned out to be a mere reproduction cleverly printed on Japanese paper. The original drawing is located at the Van Gogh Museum as well as the two other known impressions. The Museum compared the lithograph found by Chris Uhlenbeck to the original drawing and the impressions in their collection. Yes: this turned out be truly a rare find and the Museum confirmed its authenticity! These are the stories that make any art lover’s heart skip a beat and provide a healthy dose of adrenaline!

A close look at the lithograph reveals that van Gogh himself added touches of grey to the litho's by hand, and extended with a fine brush the line under his signature.
Now, this print will be sold on behalf of the owner on May 10 at the venerable Leiden auction house Burgersdijk & Niermans with an estimate of Euro 80.000. For more information on this lithograph and to view the lot, click here: https://b-n.nl/lot/357/951/4

SHOCKING PRICE INFLATION: THE GREAT WAVE

‘The Great Wave’ has become an iconic image. Being reproduced over and over, it is without doubt the best-known Japanese woodblock print to date. This masterpiece by Katsushika Hokusai葛飾北斎(1769-1849), formally known as ‘Under the Wave off Kanagawa’, was a direct hit at its time of publication in 1831. Mount Fuji is pictured in the background but it is the towering wave about to engulf the yellow boats that is at the center of our attention. Rendered in the expensive dazzling Prussian Blue pigment as it comes crashing down spectacularly.

Due to its popularity, many prints were pulled from the woodblocks. As Japanese prints from the 18th and 19th centuries were never numbered, the size of the edition is always guesswork, but between 8000 and 12.000 impressions of The Great Wave is quite likely. This artwork is therefore anything but rare!
Japanese woodblock prints have been gaining popularity, which can be seen in the countless print exhibitions held worldwide and the numerous prestigious and scholarly publications but also in terms of price level. A great surge can be seen in the development of the sales prices of prints, with some designs going for double, triple or even hundred fold the amount in comparison to copies sold only a mere 30 years ago. The Great Wave is a shocking example and exceptional case of price inflation.

Hotei Japanese Prints, about thirty years ago, sold a copy of the wave for as little as 60.000 gulden (c. 27.000 euro). Lo and behold a spectacular price development: auction house Christies sold a copy just last week for a show stopping 2.76 million dollars(!). Looking closely at recent auction results, we can see great differences in print quality: trimmed margins, faded colors, foxing and more. This copy too was not in any way mint: cut off from the left side and faded colors of the yellow boats and sky. Just one year ago another copy went for half the amount(!). This print too had some condition issues: un-trimmed but with a faded register and faded colors in the sky. View the images to compare.

A quick overview to give an impression of the pricing of recent ‘waves’ from the auction houses:
Mar. 2021 $1,590,000
Sep. 2020 $1,110,000
Mar. 2019 $471,000
Mar. 2005 $78,000
Oct. 1993 $63,000

And now a new world-record: 2.76 million dollars(!).

NEW ACQUISITIONS & OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER:
The new year has started again and new acquisitions from Japan have now been added to our website.
- Prints: https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/prints?name=Theme2&New-acquisitions&page=1&p=prints
- Lacquer: https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/objects?name=Lacquer&page=1&p=objects

You can read our February newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/e76fcb2549a2/hotei-feb2023
- Trip to Japan in January.
- Acquisitions (prints and objects).
- New book release "A Year in the Capital".
- Exhibition "The Riddles of Ukiyo-e" in Japanmuseum SieboldHuis

To translate our newsletter to any language of your choice, please click the top right 'translate' button.

VIRTUAL TOUR - PAN 2022 🖼️ ✨ Our stand at PAN Amsterdam is now available as a virtual tour. Watch what we have on offer from the comfort of your own home: https://tiny.cc/aw41vz

The PAN Amsterdam is in full swing. From 20 - 27 November 2022 you can find our stand directly left from the entrance, booth 137 at RAI Amsterdam . We look forward to welcoming you: with Japanese Prints, lacquer, bronze and much more. See you soon?

This virtual tour has been made by Labradoodle Digital, thank you!

Explore Hotei Japanese Prints - PAN Amsterdam 2022 in 3D Hotei Japanese Prints' stand at PAN Amsterdam 2022.

Over een goede twee weken is het zo ver en staan wij weer op de PAN Amsterdam ! 20 - 27 November 2022 kunt u ons meteen links bij de ingang vinden, op stand 137 in de RAI Amsterdam.
Klik op de link hieronder om onze laatste nieuwsbrief te bekijken:

- PAN Amsterdam 20 - 27 November 2022 in de RAI Amsterdam.
- Enkele voorbeelden van ons aanbod op de PAN: o.a. moderne acteursprenten, Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige, Chikanobu, lakwerk.
Alles te bewonderen en te koop in onze stand (137).
- Beursbezoek en openingstijden.
- Galerie in Leiden alleen op afspraak geopend tijdens de PAN.
- Een geactualiseerd Japan Tips overzicht.

Hotei nieuwsbrief PAN Amsterdam 2022

NEW ACQUISITIONS | New prints have been added to our website: https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/prints?name=Theme2&New-acquisitions&page=1&p=prints

DAVID MITCHELL'S FAVOURITE ARTIST | In Volkskrant Magazine David Mitchell (b. 1969) author of the novel The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (based on the life of Philipp Franz von Siebold), mentions Kawase Hasui 川瀬 巴水 (1883-1957) (1883-1957) as his favourite artist. Hasui is best known for his serene landscape prints and is now one of the most famous and sought after print designers of the shin hanga (new prints) movement. Mitchell describes the essence of Hasui's work as 'windows to a sort of paradise [...] landscapes of an abstract quality [...] transporting you to the pictured landscape [...] exploring the depths of the soul." (Volkskrant Magazine 18 June 2022, p. 64).

Want to see Hasui's landscape prints for yourself? Do not miss out on the exhibition 'Shin Hanga: New Prints of Japan 1900-1960' from 17 June to 11 September 2022 in Japanmuseum SieboldHuis in Leiden, The Netherlands. Hasui's work is amply featured in this impressive overview of 20th century print art.

Luck has it that the pictured print in the Volkskrant Magazine by Hasui, 'Lake Matsubara, Shinshu' (1941) is now available at Hotei Japanese Prints: https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/new/prints-item/1679/stockno-22-124/Kawase_Hasui_%E5%B7%9D%E7%80%AC_%E5%B7%B4%E6%B0%B4_(1883-1957)?p=prints

THE JAPAN TIMES: SHIN HANGA SPOTLIGHT | The Japan Times The Japan Times has written an informative article on the shin-hanga ('new prints') woodblock print movement, published June 17th 2022. The occasion? The exhibition 'Shin Hanga: New Prints of Japan 1900-1960' is now touring Europe: currently on view from 17 June to 11 September 2022 in Japan Museum SieboldHuis Japanmuseum SieboldHuis (Leiden, The Netherlands), the exhibition moves to the Royal Museums of Art and History Art & History Museum Brussels (Brussels, Belgium) where it is on show until January 2023.

Want to know more about what The Japan Times describes as 'The last great woodblock print movement [...], the results of one man's vision to revive ukiyo-e' ? We have the article for you right here! To enlarge the image for better reading, click right with your mouse and select 'open image in new tab'.

NEW ACQUISITIONS AND LATEST NEWSLETTER | Having finally, after more than two years and four months, being able to visit Japan, we have a diverse selection of new prints available: from shin hanga to the old masters such as Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige and more. You can find a small part ( we will continue to add more over the coming weeks) of these new acquisitions now on our website : https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/prints?name=Theme2&New-acquisitions&page=1&p=prints

Want to view all? Feel free to drop by at our gallery! Attention: please make an appointment in advance to make sure our gallery staff is present.

We also added a new category, surimono, which you can find here:
https://www.hotei-japanese-prints.com/prints?name=Theme1&Surimono&page=1&p=prints

Last but not least: we have also sent out another newsletter two weeks ago which you can read here: https://mailchi.mp/7cb561019164/hotei-juni2022
To translate our newsletter to any language of your choice, please click the top right 'translate' button.

NEWSLETTER & COLLECTION UPDATE | Read our latest newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/75d754cd6355/hotei-may2022

- A sizeable update of new acquisitions on our website:
Surimono, Yosh*toshi moon prints, Kunisada actors and more.
- Aquatints by Noriwaki Miyamoto.
- Exhibitions update "Shin hanga".
- New Shin hanga catalogue.