A beautiful and undocumented oban print by Yoshimoto Gesso in gorgeous condition. We’re unable to find any other instances of this print. Beautiful color, incredible detail, and a composition and feel in the style of Shoda Koho but the detail work of Ogata Gekko.
The Woodblock Print
This oban-sized woodblock is in excellent condition; great color and detail, a clean verso. Intact margins.
About the Artist
Yoshimoto Gesso is known for a large number of landscape and kacho-e (images of birds and flowers) designs published by Hasegawa and Nishinomiya, but little else is biographically known about him. These designs were very well crafted with artistic compositions made presumably for the export/foreign market. His work is very painterly, leading some to believe that he was a trained painter whose works were commissioned, and then transformed into woodblocks by the professional carvers and printers at Hasegawa and Nishinomiya, but that is speculation.
