Mokugokai Comp (1 results)

[Kyoto 1909, Unsodo]. Green boards, thread-tied spine, tall folio 24.6 x 37.5 cm., very clean. a bit of edge/corner wear contents solid, 8 color woodblock prints, 81 b.w. collotype photos, [Small Edition ca.200 Copies] THE RARE FIRST EDITION . . * * A STUNNING COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINTED MONOGRAPH * * . . AN IMPORTANT JAPANESE PAINTER AND INFLUENTIAL ARTIST . * This is a stunning work, with 8 full-page color woodblock printed illustrations, plus 81 b.w. collotypes, showing 89 examples of Asai's and other artist's paintings. . A DELUXE BOOK: This work was beautifully printed with 8 color woodblock prints, before which are tissue guards with the Japanese painting title and the owner's name. This copy also contains seven additional typed English sheets giving the title, owner's name for the first 8 color prints, [lacks 1 sheet] and translation of the Japanese. . The work was compiled by the committee from the MOKUGO KAI [MOKUGO CLUB] and includes the works of Nakazawa Iwata, Ikebe Gissho, Tsumaki Tsuruichi, Yamamoto Shunkyo, Kagoi Toshiro, Kikuchi Samataro and Miyakodori Eiki. *** . *** WHO WAS THE ARTIST ASAI CHU [Tadashi] [1856-1907]: . Per Roberts below states, he was a "Western-style painter, born in Kazusa province, moved to Tokyo, later Kyoto, a pupil of Kunisawa Shikuro at his private school Shogido in 1875, and Antonio Fontanesi the next year at the Kobu Daigaku Bijitsu Gakko. In 1888, with Kawamura Kiyo-o and others, set up the Meiji Bijutsukai. In 1898 taught at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Served as a war artist in the Sino-Japanese war. From 1900 to 1902 in France, living first in Paris, then in Grez [near Paris], where he did some of his best work; exhibited at the Paris Exposition of 1900. On his return moved to Kyoto and became professor at the Kyoto Kogei Gakko; also took a leading part in Kyoto art circles as director of the Kansai Bijutsuin and founder of the Shogoin Yoga Kenkyusho. Among his best pupils were Ishii Hakutei, Umehara Ryuzaburo, and Yasui Sotaro. A leading painter of his time, most influential in the development of Western-style painting in Japan." He is well collected by world museums. . *** Wikipedia has an excellent article on Asai Chu. Asai Chu was a Japanese painter, noted for his pioneering work in developing the yoga (Western-style) art movement in late 19th century and early twentieth-century Japanese painting. . Asai was born to an ex-samurai class household in Sakura, in the Kanto region of Japan, where his father had been a retainer of the Sakura Domain. He attended the domain school, where his father was principal, and left home in 1873 to pursue English language studies in Tokyo. However, he became interested in the arts, and enrolled as a pupil of Kunisawa Shinkuro in western oil painting classes. In 1876, he enrolled as one of the first students in the Kobubijutsu Gakko [the Technical Fine Arts School], where he was able to study under the Italian foreign advisor Antonio Fontanesi, who had been hired by the Meiji government in the late 1870s to introduce Western oil painting to Japan. . He also tutored the noted poet Masaoka Shiki in the techniques of Western art, and was the model for a character in Natsume Soseki's novel "SANSHIRO." . Asai also used a number of "Go" or "studio names: Go: Mokugo, Mokugyo. . A number of Asai's works have been recognized by the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs as "IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTIES.". . *** THE TWO EDITIONS: [AND UNSODO THE PUBLISHER]: . The title was printed in two editions: The FIRST EDITION OF 1909, superbly done, and a much later and poor quality edition of 1927. . This the FIRST EDITION OF 1909 is an exceptionally fine printing of the first pull off the woodblocks in full color. The quality of Unsodo in their early days was of the highest standard in Japan of the period. . The second edition was printed some eight years later in 1927, reflecting the world-wide depression attitude of poor-quality Japanese goods. This edi.