Woodblock Prints

Hi,
I picked these two prints up today and now trying to figure them out. Each print is 6" x 9".
I think they are Japanese, but what mark is the artist signature, the top or bottom mark?
They are in plastic frames, gallery label on the back which I believe is from the 1960s.

 

Here is the second print

 

Hiroshige.
http://www.penhook.org/woodblock prints.htm

 

Thank-you anundverkaufen, off to check out the link!

 

Lots of outright reproductions of Hiroshige prints and, of course, re-prints done in the traditional manner. I suspect you have the latter. You will want to examine these out of the frame to make sure they are true block prints if you can not tell for sure.

 

Thanks Brad. I have no experience with woodblock prints - what would I look for to see if they are reprints?

 

Hiroshige died in 1858 so, to be originals, these would need to be over 150 years old. I doubt you see that kind of age on these. Otherwise, you are probably looking at determining whether or not these are true block print or some kind of modern photo-mechanical reproduction. This is where examining them out of the frame will probably be necessary. Traditional block prints are generally done on mulberry paper but I don't know if this is still the norm or not. With a block print, you will generally see some bleed-through of the inks to the back side of the print. You will want to look at any other signs that this might be a reproduction including any markings hidden by the framing, dots in the print, etc.

You mention plastic frames with a gallery label. This might actually be a good sign. I have bought some great modern block prints in cheap Japanese plastic framing.

 

That's great information, thanks Brad. I'll take them out of the frames this weekend and have a look. Will be a good learning experience for me.

 

I can safely say the modern ones are still printed on the traditional paper as often as not, and have that same bleed-through. I've bought a few modern ones and taken them apart.

 

I finally took one of these apart - there is some bleed-through on the back. This was attached with cellophane tape, no other printing on the piece and the paper is coarse feeling. This is terribly yellowed/dirty - maybe from cigarette smoke.
I had/have some more prints - here are two I took apart. Both have bleed-through and the paper has a feathered edge on one side. One is signed, the other might have a signature (last photo).

 

The papers look right to me. Your last print is Puppet Master by Domo Insho.

http://ukiyo-e.org/image/jaodb/Domoto_Insho-No_Series-Puppet_Master-00043230-111014-F12

 

I love the latest two you posted, cxgirl!

 

Thanks Brad! It wasn't so bad taking them out of the frame and I didn't damage anything.
Thanks fig, I do too.

 

You are welcome. I have not been able to find your print with the geisha. It might help if we could figure out what she is holding.

 

I thought it might be a headdress of some sort but not finding anything.

 

Headdress and helmet from modern reproduction of Takeda Shingen's armour..



Just a WAG !!!