Kiyochika: Hunter Spying a Hawk (Sold)

Artist: Kobayashi Kiyochika
Title: Hunter Spying a Hawk
Date: ca. 1878

Henry Smith II has a lot to say about this print, and why it is so interesting. He considers this an entirely new genre in Japan; the hunting print, which was well known in the west. He considers this work and the one other diptych of a hunting scene by Kiyochika to be the only two ever issued in this genre. They were innovative in “... using the woodblock medium to simulate such Western media as copperplate, lithography, and wood engraving.” Regarding this design, Smith notes “...the artist has depicted a single dramatic moment, accented by small details like the red of the hawk’s mouth, the curious expression on the hunter’s face, and the smaller bird (a duck?) escaping to the lower right. The technical experimentation is again remarkable...”

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban horizontal
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi
Literature: See Henry Smith II’s book “Kiyochika: Artist of Meiji Japan”, plate 18, page 31.
Signature: Kobayashi Kiyochika

SKU: KYC147