Itō Shinsui (伊東深水) (artist 02/04/1898 – 05/08/1972)
The Second Series of Modern Beauties: Hazy Moon on a Spring Night (Gendai bijinshu dai-nishu: Oboro-yo)
1931
11 in x 17 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese color woodblock print
Signed: Shinsui ga
深水画
Artist's seal: Shinsui
Dated: Shōwa roku nen juichi gatsu Shinsui ga
(Showa 6 [1931], November)
昭和六年十一月
The National Museum of Asian Art
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo - a small black and white reproduction There is a hand-numbered limited edition seal on verso in red on the back of this print #185/250. The publisher seal for Watanabe appears there too. The reproduction of the Toledo catalogue from the early 1930s says that the falling cherry blossom petals indicate that the time of year is the spring. They suggest that there were about 10 blocks with 25-30 overprintings.
Click on this print to enlarge it. In the upper right of the screen two images will appear. The lower one shows the seals on the back.
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There is another copy of this print in the John and Mabel Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida.
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Illustrated:
1) In a small black and white reproduction in Modern Japanese Prints, Toledo Museum of Art, #155.
2) In color in a full-page reproduction in 伊東深水全木版画 (All the Woodblock Prints of Itō Shinsui, Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts, 1992, #63, p. 102.
3) in color in The Female Image: 20th century prints of Japanese beauties, Abe Publisher, 2000, #69, p. 69.
beautiful woman picture (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)
Watanabe Mokuhan Bujitsu Gahō (渡邊木版美術画舗) (publisher)
modern prints (shin hanga - 新版画) (genre)