About This Print and the Series Seihō's Masterpieces
This print titled Sketches from a Window while Traveling was released September 20, 1940 as part of the second of two sets of sixty-six prints titled Seihō's Masterpieces (aka Seihō's Masterworks), printed and issued by Unsōdō Publishing. It is listed as print 9 (九) in set two's table of contents sheet.This print, which is also in the Spencer Collection at the New York Public Library, was issued as one of three prints in the third envelope of set two. The colophon, shown below, pasted to the envelope, gives the dates of printing and issue, the titles of the prints, copyright information, and information about the publisher.
A combination of print processes (see further discussion see the article "Takeuchi Seihō: Seihō's Masterpieces.") were used for this series and this particular print is likely a woodblock print, although the printing method needs to be confirmed.
Colophon Envelope 3 Set Two
Dated September 20, 1940
Date of issue reads Showa 15 (1940), 9th month, 20th day
Date of printing reads Showa 15 (1940), 9th month, 15th day
click on image to enlarge
Dated September 20, 1940
Date of issue reads Showa 15 (1940), 9th month, 20th day
Date of printing reads Showa 15 (1940), 9th month, 15th day
click on image to enlarge
The Series "Seihō's Masterpieces"
For images of all sixty-six prints and a description of the series, please go to the article "Takeuchi Seihō: Seihō's Masterpieces."Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #912 |
| Title | Sketches from a Window while Traveling (旅窗漫筆) To the left is the label attached to the rear of the sheet the print was originally tipped to. It reads: Across the top: 不許複製 All rights reserved Rightmost column: 竹内栖鳳先生筆 Takeuchi Seihō sensei hitsu with title of print 旅窗漫筆 to its left. |
| Series | Seihō's Masterpieces (栖鳳逸品集 Seihō's ippin shū) (set 2) |
| Artist | Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal | unread, as shown above |
| Publication Date | September 20, 1940 |
| Edition | original and only edition |
| Publisher | Unsōdō Publishing |
| Printer | Shinmi Saburō 新味 三朗 |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | excellent |
| Miscellaneous | removed from its original heavy paper backing/matting |
| Genre | nihonga (also classed as e-hon, as the series prints exist as bound volumes) |
| Format | non-standard |
| H x W Paper and Image | 18 3/4 x 14 3/8 in. (47.6 x 36.5 cm) |
| Collections This Print | New York Public Library, Spencer Collection; Rijksmuseum RP-P-2005-615-20 |
| Reference Literature | The Artist and the Book in Japan, Roger S. Keyes, The University of Washington Press with New York Public Library, December 2006, p. 252-253; The Art of the Japanese Book, 2 vols., Jack Hillier, Sotheby's Publications, 1987, p. 992-993. |
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