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| Artist: | Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) — 鳥居言人 |
| Title: | Peony Snowflakes — 牡丹雪 |
| Series: | |
| Date of first edition?: | 1933 |
| Publisher (first edition)?: | Ikeda — 池田 |
| Publisher (this edition)?: | Ikeda — 池田 |
| Medium (first edition): | Woodblock |
| Medium (this edition): | Woodblock |
| Format (first edition): | Large Oban
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| Format (this edition): | Large Oban |
| DB artwork code: | 34974 |
| Notes (first edition)?: |
Dated 1933 (confirmed. Month not yet confirmed).
Limited edition of only 100 prints, after which the blocks were destroyed.
Scene number 9 among 12 Ikeda published scenes.
Re-issued in the series "Twelve Aspects of Women" circa August 23, 1988. |
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| Notes (this edition)?: |
| The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies:
Monday, 31 December 2007
Japanese Kotondo Woodblock Print called "Snow Flakes", unmatted and unframed, loose print. It measures 18 1/4" l x 11 1/2" w. I am not an expert on this but will be happy to answer any questions, I have shown many photographs to show the condition of this print. The top right of print has Japanese writing in black and red, below border of print are three japanese markings, on back right bottom corner are writings or markings, and in hand written in pencil on back bottom it reads 45/100, Gonjin-pupil of Shin Sui. The colors and condition of print are excellent, a work of art! I believe this to be circa 1920's. This piece of art was acquired from an estate of an advanced collector of objects of art, rare prints,glass, china, etc. I also have another Japanese water color from same estate currently up for auction. Condition of print is excellent, it does have some minor tearing to outer edge of paper and a small tear to bottom left side that goes right up to outline of woodblock print. There are three or four faint crease marks to print, one is at cheek, and the others are around background. |
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| Artist Bio: |
| Torii Kotondo (or Torii Kiyotada VIII) is renowned for his paintings and shin hanga prints of beautiful women. His woodblock prints, superbly carved and printed, are comparable with those of Hashiguchi Goyo and Ito Shinsui. Kotondo was born with the name Saito Akira in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. He was the only son among the five children of Torii Kiyotada, the seventh Torii master. The Torii school had a long tradition of painting and printmaking for the Japanese theater, extending back to the seventeenth century. Kabuki theater was still very popular in the early twentieth century and prints and painted posters were the primary means of publicity. Although Kotondo was mainly interested in studying history and archaeology, it was assumed that he would follow in his father's footsteps and join the Torii school. At age 14, Kotondo agreed to leave school and begin studies with Kobori Tomone, a yamato-e painter. Along with painting classes, Tomone taught Kotondo about the court and military practices of ancient Japan, satisfying his interest in history. A year later, he was officially adopted as the next heir of the Torii school and assumed the artist's name 'Kotondo'. While still studying with Tomone, he began designing illustrations for a theatrical magazine, Engei Gaho ('Entertainment Illustrated Magazine'), and painted kabuki posters and billboards. Torii Kotondo was the 8th Torii and the 5th Torii Kiyotada. His father was the 4th Kiyotada.
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