Item from the Mokuhankan Flea Market

Crying Cranes (2 prints)

Size: 29.5cm by 15.5cm (11.61 in by 6.10 in) | Enlargement | Shipping Code: [L] ?

Designer: Kano Tanyu

Era: Taisho | Currency: $ / £ / €

Price: ¥ 12,000$ 98.00£ 73.75€ 87.75 [Item has been sold]

Description: Part of a monthly subscription series of three woodblock prints issued by the Yamato Hanga Kanko-kai in ca. 1924.


The original painting of this print is a copy made by Kano Tanyu in his prime (1602-74) of "Flying Crane," one panel of the "Crying Cranes" diptych (an Important Cultural Property) by Chinese Ming Dynasty painter Bunsei, which is housed at Sokoku-ji Temple. While largely faithful to the original, Tanyu's unique style is evident in several places. Despite being a copy, it is considered a masterpiece of Kano Tanyu's ink-and-color painting on silk depicting flowers and birds. Later, Ito Jakuchu also made a copy of this painting. (Although the accompanying explanation for the print states that it was painted by Kano Sensui, it is apparently by Kano Tanyu.)

Note: this print was made back in the era when Japan's industries were opening up to Western ideas and influences, and used what would these days be called a 'mixed media' approach in its creation.

Some parts of the image were put onto the paper with the collotype printing technique, based on photography from the original design. This part of the process would include registration marks, and once the collotype was printed, the paper would be trimmed to those marks, and other areas of the design then printed by hand from woodblocks in the traditional manner.

The dimensions given are for each print.

These prints have slight foxing and toning. Also, some traces of glue removal are at the top of the backsides.

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