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| Notes (1st edition) | Artist Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) Title: Morning Hair Date Of Work: 1931 November (confirmed) Publisher: Ikeda Dimensions: 19 x 11.75 inches Limited edition of only 100 prints, after which the blocks were destroyed. Scene number 1 among 12 Ikeda published scenes. Notes: Very rare. Kotondo's most famous design. The police banned this scene under the "Peace Preservation Law" of 1928, and confiscated the prints and blocks after 70 impressions had been printed. Why? Because of that comb in the lower right corner (too sexually suggestive. Go figure!). Ikeda marked all unsold prints with an X, gouged the blocks, and then handed them into the police (the above data is from the publisher Ikeda Tomizo's brother). So this means the actual number of prints that were sold is extremely low - maybe 30 or less, as we would expect given the rarity of this scene. To date the highest edition number I have confirmed is no. 28, so I think my estimate of 30 prints in circulation is likely. Re-issued in the series "Twelve Aspects of Women" circa August 23, 1988. | |||||||||||
| Publisher (this edition): | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Ikeda | Unknown | Ishukankokai | Ishukankokai | Ishukankokai |
| Date of this item: | 1931 November | 1931 November | 1931 November | 1980s | 1980s | 1980s | 1980s | |||||
| Notes (this edition) These notes were written by the original owner/seller/auctioner of the item and may be inaccurate.: | Artist Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) View Artist Bio Series Title Morning Hair Date Of Work 1930 Publisher Ikeda Dimensions 19 x 11.75 Condition Fine impression, color and condition. Notes Provenance - Torii Kotondo family, with Certificate of Authenticity (Kantei) issued by the artist's daughter. Rare, as Police confiscated the blocks after 70 impressions. Kotondo's most famous design. |
This is edition number 27. This low edition number is consistent with the edition numbers of other confirmed first-editions (see edition number 28 in this database). Thanks to Laurie for these images. Later: Artist Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) View Artist Bio Series Title Morning Hair (27/100) Date Of Work 1931 Publisher Ikeda Dimensions 17.75 x 11.75 Condition Fine impression, color and condition. Notes Keyblock of the print is included. |
Lot 90 TORII KOTONDO (1900-1976) Morning Hair 1931 woodblock 40.5 x 25.5 cm (image), 48.0 x 29.5 cm (sheet) signed and stamped with artist's seal within image edition: First edition, Ikeda Publishers Provenance: Mr Edwin A. Dearn, Japan, c1930s Thence by descent, private collection, Sydney No edition number on the verso. Among a set of 10 Kotondo/Ikeda prints with no edition numbers. |
TITLE: Morning Hair DATE: 1930 SIZE: 19 x 11.75 MEDIUM: Woodblock Print PUBLISHER: Ikeda CONDITION: Fine impression, color and condition. Edition number unknown. This example is another un-editioned strike. Thanks to Egenolf Gallery for further images of this print and this write-up: Artist: Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) Title: Morning Hair ??? (Asanegami) Date: Ca. 1930 Intimate portrait of a young woman who has just woken up and is alone with her thoughts; presumably they turn towards her absent lover. The mosquito net that forms the background indicates that it is summer, and her tousled hair and separated comb indicate that she has just woken up, following a night spent with her lover. The title “asanegami” literally translates as “hair (kami) of a late riser (asane)”. The term appears in Japanese poetry as early as the 8th century anthology Manyôshű, “Collection of Ten-thousand Leaves”. Although tastefully suggestive to the modern viewer, the early Showa-period authorities found this work so salacious that they confiscated the publisher’s remaining stock of 30 published prints, leading to the extraordinary rarity of this design, as only 70 were ever sold. The blocks were carved by Maeda Kentaro, considered to be a master carver of his generation. This work is considered one of the masterpieces of shin hanga, as well as Kotondo’s finest design. Chosen as the cover image for the important 1993 book on the Muller Collection, “The new wave”. Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Publisher: Ikeda Literature: See “The new wave”, cover and number 268, page 202. See The Toledo Museum of Art (1936), number 133. See the Art Institute of Chicago Signature: Kotondo ga Size: 48.2 x 29.8 cm |
Kotondo (1900 - 1976) Morning Hair Medium: Woodblock Print Date: c. 1930 Size (H x W): 19 x 11.5 (inches) Publisher: Ikeda Seals: Square Kotondo seal and paper edition seal on reverse (Ikeda, Asanegami, 66th) Edition: 66/100 Provenance: Garib Collection Signature: Kotondo ga with rectangular seal Shi Condition: Very good color and impression, light toning on margin, tape residue on reverse upper edge. |
Thursday, 2 April 2009 Torii Kotondo - Morning Hair Artist : Torii Kotondo Size :40.7 x 25.6cm (Image Size) Date : 1930 Impression : Excellent Condition : Very Good Detail : slight browning/ This original Japanese woodblock print was added to our catalog on Tuesday 31 March, 2009. |
Wednesday, 27 December 2006 Torii Kotondo, 1900-1976 Morning Hair (Asanegami) Signed Kotondo ga with red rectangular artist's seal, Shi. Published by Ikeda, the blocks carved by Maeda Kentaro and printed by Maejima. Red oval collector's seal Tobin on lower left margin. With publisher's limited edition paper seal hand-numbered on verso, Ikeda, Asanegami, dai san go (published by Ikeda, Morning Hair, number 3 from a limited edition), with red circular seal (probably Torii). Undated, published by Ikeda in 1930. Dai oban tate-e 30 by 46.5 cm Provenance: James D. Tobin, Portland, Oregon The term asanegami, literally translated as 'hair of a late riser,' is evocative of the morning following a romantic encounter, and is found in literature as far back as the 8th century, in the anthology Manyoshu (see translation by Donald Keene reprinted in The New Wave, p. 202). Apparently this was far too lascivious for Japanese authorities in 1930: after only seventy prints had been sold, the government is reported to have confiscated and destroyed the woodblocks and the remaining unsold prints. Although this story has yet to be confirmed, there is no doubt that this is an exceedingly rare print, which is indeed surprising given that it is also breathtakingly beautifully and would have likely, given the opportunity, enjoyed a very successful run of multiple editions. There is little other explanation for the rarity of this design. Price: Sold |
Title Morning Hair Edition: 28/100 Condition: Fine impression and condition. Slight fading |
Tuesday, 18 April 2006 Waking Artist: Torii Kotondo Format: Dai oban tate-e: 19" x 11.25" approx Subject: A sleepy young girl resting her head on her hands. Date: Originally 1932: this edition later Condition: Full size. Fine state Colour: Fine Impression: Fine with gauffrage Estimated Value: ?800 - ?1200 Torii Kotondo (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. |
Some details: Title: Asanegami (Morning hair) Reference: The Female Image, plate: 178 Size (paper): 33 x 48 cm. (13" x 19"); the wrinkles in the white borders are there, but much less visible than the unforgiving images of my scanner. Edition size: given as 100 in all sources about this set. Publication date: 1980s Publisher: Ishukankokai. |
20/12/2004 Signed- Kotondo, with artist’s seal Publisher, printer and carver seals- Red “moneybag” seal of the publisher Ishukankokai, name seal of carver and printer, watermark of publisher (all in margin as shown) Image size- 10 1/8" x 16 1/8" (+ full margins) Sheet size- 13" x 19" (Large woodblock print size) Condition- Absolutely perfect condition with no flaws to note. Excellent color, no fading, fine linework. This print has been stored only, never framed. |
Tuesday, 27 July 2010 Shin Hanga: Twelve Aspects of Women - Morning Hair Lot AU3 Artist: Torii Kotondo Format: Large oban tate-e: 19" x 13" approx Subject: Morning Hair, from the series Twelve Aspects of Women. A beauty has just woken up, eyes half open and her hair unkempt. With red moneybag seal and numbered seventeen from the memorial limited edition. Publisher: I-shu Kanko Kai Date: Originally in 1930, this edition 1970s. Condition: Full size. Minor creases. Generally fine state. In original folder as issued. Colour: Fine Impression: Fine with gauffrage |