Two richly colored and richly plumed macaws are sitting on the branch of a tree, a lovely woodblock print by noted designer of kacho-ga, Ito Sozan.
The Woodblock Print
The woodblock print is in good condition with intact margins, strong colors, and a clean verso. There is some toning to the paper, shown in the images, and a few speckles of foxing. Exquisite color still and detail, the piece has not been bleached to clean it as that would affect the rich coloring.
About the Artist
Itō Sōzan lived between 1884 and 1926 and was associated with the Shin Hanga print movement. Little known, his catalog of prints have been overshadowed by the more famous Ohara Koson as he also seems to have been replaced by Koson for his publisher Watanabe. Ito Sozan was a noted designer of kacho-ga (flowers and birds), and fulfilled that role with the newly formed Watanabe publishing house until his death/replacement (the exact story reasoning is unknown).
