KORIN Japanese Woodblock Print HYDRANGEA - Shima Art Co. 1930

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KORIN Japanese Woodblock Print HYDRANGEA - Shima Art Co. 1930 OGATA KORIN Hydrangea Date: c. 1930s, signed Korin; published by Shima Art Co., collected by Robert O. Muller Size: oban , approx. 15.5" x 10.25" Condition: VG, never framed, uncirculated print Impression: VG, good registration, solid key lines, and nice surface texture Color: Fine, deep saturated color and bleed through to verso Provenance: from the estate of Robert O. Muller (see below for more information) A little seen botanical print of hydrangea blossoms by Japanese painter and print maker Ogata Korin published by the Shima Art Company. ABOUT OGATA KORIN Ogata Korin, (ca. 1657 - June 2, 1716), Japanese painter and lacquerer, was born in Kyoto, the son of a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts and is said to have given his son some elementary instruction therein. Korin also studied under Soken Yamamoto, the Kano school, Tsunenobu and Gukei Sumiyoshi; and he was greatly influenced by his predecessors Hon'ami Koetsu and Tawaraya Sotatsu. On arriving at maturity, however, he broke away from all tradition, and developed a very original and quite distinctive style of his own, both in painting and in the decoration of lacquer. The characteristic of this is a bold impressionism, which is expressed in few and simple highly idealized forms, with an absolute disregard for both realism and the usual conventions. In lacquer, Korin's use of white metals and of mother-of-pearl is notable; but herein he followed Koyetsu. Korin died at the age of fifty-nine. His chief pupils were Kagei Tatebayashi and Shiko Watanabe, but the present knowledge and appreciation of his work are largely due to the efforts of Sakai Hoitsu, who brought about a revival of Korin's style. WHO WAS ROBERT O. MULLER? Robert O. Muller’s love affair with Japanese prints began one day in the 1930s, when as a student in New York City he spotted several landscape prints by Kawase Hasui displayed in the window of the Shima Art Company, and shortly afterwards arranged to purchase a print. By late 1939 Mr. Miller arranged to purchase the Shima Art Co. and the following year, he went on a print shopping tour to Japan with his wife where he met the shin hanga publisher Watanabe Shozaburo and Watanabe’s stable of artists including: Kawase Hasui, Shiro Kasamatsu, and Ito Shinsui. He also met and befriended Hiroshi Yoshida. After WWII, Muller continued to deal in Japanese prints, but he was also an avid collector with a keen eye for good art. Although the Muller Collection is best known for shin hanga , Mr. Muller also collected late nineteenth century prints and good reproductions of famous Edo masters. When Mr. Muller passed away on April 10, 2003, he had left possibly the largest and finest collection of 20th century Japanese prints in the world, and the question of what would become of his notorious collection was a major topic among Japanese print collectors. The finest 20th century prints from his collection were given as a gift to the Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., and an exhibit was mounted. Other portions of the collection were sold at auction and still more remains with his heirs. Several books have been published about the collection. VISIT OUR EBAY STORE FOR MORE WOODBLOCK PRINTS AND BOOKS ABOUT WOODBLOCK ARTISTS Please feel free to email us through the eBay message system with any questions. WE PREFER PAYPAL, but in the event that you do not have a Paypal account we will accept payment through the mail. Please contact us through eBay for the mailing address. Items purchased will be shipped only to the address on the eBay account. State of New York residents are required to pay 7.375% sales tax. International If payment has not been received within 10 days of the end of the purchase, a Non-Paying Bidder report will be filed with eBay unless other arrangements have been made with the seller. SHIPPING - Domestic shipping ... read more

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KORIN Japanese Woodblock Print HYDRANGEA - Shima Art Co. 1930

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