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Cat 40: Nobu SATO (1926 – 2005)

Born in Kanagawa, Nobu Sato attended engineering school, but turned to a career in art. He has exhibited in both group and solo shows in Japan and abroad. In 1964, Sato received the "Promising New Artist" award from Kokugakai Arts Association.

Mezzotint is a drypoint process where the artist uses spiked steel rockers to create a dense mass of burrs in a copper plate. This creates a printing plate that carries a high volume of ink which when printed creates rich deep colour. To get the subtle shading for an illustration the artist burnishes and scrapes the plate to reduce the density and create tones.

Japanese artists have a fine tradition of beautiful printmaking. Nobu Sato was an artist who excelled at mezzotint printing. Many mezzotints are of a single colour. His prints show how Sato mastered adding colour to his technique.

Camelia bud and Apple

mezzotint, 1994

18 x 30 cm Ed. 10/100

$ 1100

SOLD

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Cat 41: Nobou SATO (1926 – 2005)

Cherries and Sea Shell

mezzotint, 2005

19 x 36 cm Ed. 23/100

$ 1200

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Cat 42: Katsunori HAMANISHI (b.1949, Japan)

One of the world’s acknowledged masters of the most demanding of all printing techniques, the mezzotint. His work is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum, Hokkaido Museum of Art, Japan, The Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art, The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Situation # 24, 1988

original mezzotint print, Ed. 8/50

60 x 45 cm

$ 2500 framed

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Cat 43: Katsunori HAMANISHI (b.1949, Japan)

Division – Work No. 42

original mezzotint print, Ed. 43/50

74.5 x 53.3 cm

$ 2750 framed

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Cat 44: Katsunori HAMANISHI (b.1949, Japan)

Kimono No.2, 2011

original mezzotint print, Ed. 43/70

45 x 45 cm

$ 2500 framed

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SHUNGA

Japanese Shunga (Spring Pictures) are now recognised as an uninhibited celebration of sexual pleasure. and one of the greatest evocations of sensual pleasure in world art.

Cat 45: Katsukawa SHUNCHO (1726 – 93)

A painter and printmaker in the ukiyo-e style, and the leading artist of the Katsukawa school. Shunshō is most well-known for introducing a new form of prints depicting Kabuki actors. However, his images of beautiful women while less famous, are said by some to be the best before Utamaro in the last decades of the 18th century.

From the set “Thirty-six examples of love making positions”

published ca.1780

10.6 x 15.5 cm

$ 880 framed

SOLD

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Cat 46: Torii KIYONAGA (1752 – 1815)

At the age of 13, Kiyonga went to Edo to become the pupil of Torii Kiyomitsu. Adopted into the Torii family he was the last major artist of that school. During the 1780s, his tall, graceful figures in complex settings dominated the ukiyo-e style. He gave up designing prints about 1790 and continued to paint until his death.

Young lovers next to an open book.

Published ca. 1785, possibly as a follow up to Kiyonaga’s most famous series, shikido juniban (Twelve Ways of Making Love.)

Album page, 25.5 x 38.50 cm

$1500

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Cat 47: Torii KIYONAGA (1752 – 1815)

Young lovers next to a pipe and sake bowl

Published ca. 1785, possibly as a follow up to Kiyonaga’s most famous series, shikido juniban (Twelve Ways of Making Love.)

Album page, 25.5 x 38.50cm

$ 1500

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Cat 48: Chikyosei EIRI (active 1795 – 1800)

Living in Edo, Eiri designed prints around the turn of the 19th century. Both a ukiyo-e printmaker and painter, this pupil of Eishi Hosoda produced elegant bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) and portraits. The tall, slender women portrayed in Eiri's work echo those of his teacher, while his bust portraits suggest the influence of Utamaro

Lovers next to a screen depicting cherry blossom

published ca 1785

Album page, 25.5 x 38.50 cm

$1600

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Cat 49: Attributed to Utagawa KUNISADA (1786 – 1864)

The most prolific and popular Ukiyo-e artist of the 19th Century, his work was dominated by the actors and courtesans of the pleasure quarter of Edo..

Lovers making love overlooking the Sumida river.

published c1840

an album page, 10 x 13 cm

$ 660

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