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Izumibashi Bridge in the Rain
by Shotei Takahashi (1871-1945) Hiroaki

Original caretaker of this artwork: artelino - Japanese prints  Art auctions of Japanese and Chinese prints

	Artist:	Shotei Takahashi (1871-1945) Hiroaki — 松亭高橋、弘明
	Title:	Izumibashi Bridge in the Rain
	Series:
	Date of first edition?:	1920 (in the decade of)
	Publisher (first edition)?:	Watanabe Shozaburo — 渡辺
	Publisher (this edition)?:	Watanabe Shozaburo — 渡辺
	Medium (first edition):	Woodblock
	Medium (this edition):	Woodblock
	Format (first edition):	Mitsugiri
	Format (this edition):	Mitsugiri
	DB artwork code:	38685
	Notes (first edition)?:	Artist Takahashi Shotei Title Rain on Izumibashi Bridge Medium Original Japanese Woodblock Print Edition First Date C. 1925 Publisher Watanabe Shozaburo Reference No The New Wave, Pl. 86 Item M16 at Shotei.com Size 6 -3/4 x 15 "
	Notes (this edition)?:	The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies: Title Storm on Bridge Provenance: Robert O. Muller Estate Artist Hiroaki Takahashi 1871-1945 Seal artist's seal (shotei) Dated ca. 1936 or earlier Publisher Watanabe Technique/Medium Woodblock print Impression excellent Colors very good Condition excellent - very good … light toning. Description Two people walk against the strong wind and rain on a bridge. Note "Made in Japan" stamped verso. Provenance: Robert O. Muller Estate. Format Mitsugiri-ban Width 15.2 inches = 38.5 cm Height 6.8 inches = 17.3 cm
	Artist Bio:	Takahashi Shotei was born in Tokyo with the given name of Takahashi Katsutaro. At a young age he was trained in Nihon-ga , the traditional Japanese painting style by his uncle Matsumoto Fuko, and beginning around 1907 Shotei started designing for the Watanabe Color Print Company. Shotei was among the first designers to be recruited into Watanabe's stable of artists, which would later expand to include Goyo, Shinsui, Hasui, Kasamatsu, Koson and Koitsu among others. Many Watanabe prints were designed for export, primarily to North America, where the demand for all things Japanese was high in the early 20th century. By 1923 Shotei had produced nearly 500 designs for Watanabe, when Tokyo was hit by the Great Kanto earthquake -- the worst recorded natural catastrophe in the history of Japan. The fires ignited by the earthquake raged for three days, and Watanabe's print shop and all the woodblocks created by Shotei and the other early shin hanga artists, were destroyed. After the earthquake Shotei created another 250 prints mostly depicting scenic Japanese landscapes in the shin hanga style he had helped to define. He continued to work for Watanabe, but also worked with the publishers Fusui Gabo and Shobido Tanaka, where he had more control over the finished print than was possible with Watanabe. Shotei used a variety of names, signatures and seals during his lifetime. From 1907 until 1922 he used the name Shotei, and after 1922 Hiroaki and Komei.