About This Print
This untitled print by Sakamoto Hanjirō, picturing horses outside of a barn, is one of three that make up the series Three Horse Pieces (Uma sandai), published by Mikumo Mokuhansha, first in 1951 in a limited edition of 300, 100 of which were signed by Sakamoto, and then again as single sheet prints in editions of 300 and 700.1 This print carries no edition number and may be from a separate unnumbered edition. It does, however, have a publisher's label on the back which can be seen under Print Details below.
Sakamoto also created a watercolor and oil painting of the same image, both shown below. The watercolor is dated 1947 and the oil painting is dated 1952.2 The 1952 dating of the painting is particularly interesting, as the original print dates to 1951, according to Merritt.3 While both the watercolor and oil painting are somewhat abstracted, the print goes even further with little identifiable except the horses themselves.
I assume, but have not confirmed, that Sakamoto designed the print for the publisher Mikumo.
watercolor and pencil on paper laid on panel
27.8 x 36 cm (10.9 x 14.2 in)
2 Modern Currents in Japanese Art, Michiaki Kawakita, Weatherhill/Heibonsha, 1974, pl. 39.
3 Op. cit. Merritt, p. 259.
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1204 |
| Title | untitled - Horses (Uma 馬) |
| Series | Three Horse Pieces |
| Artist | Sakamoto Hanjirō (1882-1969) |
| Signature | unsigned |
| Seal |  |
| Publication Date | originally 1951, this print after 1966 |
| Edition | later |
| Publisher | Mikumo Ishihara Co. 美雲 |
| Carver | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | excellent |
| Genre | sosaku hanga (creative print); moku hanga |
| Miscellaneous |  |
| Format | oban |
| H x W Paper | 9 1/8 x 13 3/4 in. (23.2 x 34.9 cm) |
| H x W Image | 9 1/8 x 13 3/4 in. (23.2 x 34.9 cm) the print was issued without margins |
| Collections This Print | |
| Reference Literature |
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