19th Century Japanese Torii Kiyomasu Japanese Wood Block Print of Sanjo Kantaro

Description

This is an ANTIQUE, Original, Matted, Hand Colored Wood Block Print “The Actor Sanjo Kantaro Playing A Woman’s Geisha Part“ … more This is an ANTIQUE, Original, Matted, Hand Colored Wood Block Print “The Actor Sanjo Kantaro Playing A Woman’s Geisha Part“ made by Torii Kiyomasu in the late-1600s to early-1700s.  My neighbor recently passed away and I'm helping his family sell off his extensive collections, including a portfolio of Original Wood Block Prints.  He purchased this WONDERFUL STUNNING Torii Wood Block Print while stationed in Japan in 1953; he was told it was a reprint from the Original Wood Block and was 50-100 years old at that time. Although Matted and stored in archival plastic, he never got around to framing it.  This Print was notated in his Estate inventory as “Actor Playing A Geisha - 1712".  Matted and stored inside archival plastic, this Original Print is in EXCELLENT Condition with minor, age appropriate wear and NO rips, tears or odors, there are several marks on the archival plastic which have not damaged the integrity of the print; it comes from a smoke-free, pet-free home.  Matted, it measures approximately 20 inches tall and approximately 12 inches wide with the cut out Print section measuring approximately 12 1/2 inches tall and approximately 4 1/2 inches wide; it is signed in Kanji and has various other Marks - see pictures.  

With hand coloring that has NOT faded, this superbly executed scene has an EXQUISITE style and the decorative ELEGANCE and GRACE Torii Kiyomasu was known for.  The delicate, hand-painted scene shows a Male Actor dressed as a Woman Geisha holding a handled mask in one hand.  This EXOTIC scene has WONDERFUL detailed touches.  This EXQUISITELY handcrafted scene is presented with skill, evoking the richness of a long ago time.  This Wood Block Print is an AMAZING, Museum Quality Print that will make an unusual and striking display piece as it is an EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE, WONDERFUL, RARE AND WHIMSICAL picture.

This Print has good ink bleed through the thin Japanese washi rice paper and retains the Original colors. Very fine, it was superbly executed by hand and is extremely detailed. The print quality is superb and there is delicate shading throughout. A rare print of high quality, it has FINE color, impression and is in remarkable condition. 

Torii Kiyomasu (鳥居 清倍, c. 1690s - 1720s) was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the Torii school, in the genre of ukiyo-e.  Many scholars believe Kiyomasu to have been the younger brother or son of Torii Kiyonobu, one of the founders of the school, or to have been an alternate art-name (gō) for the same man. less