Most likely part of the “series” of birds and plants done with Gyosai Kawanabe and published in the 1930s by Nishimoya, this lovely and delicate print of sparrows in bamboo among the snow has the added treatment of gofun paste being used as falling snowflakes with added dimensionality.
The Woodblock Print
This mitsugiri -sized woodblock printed in the 1930s is in very fine condition; strong colors, no delicate treatment of the bokashi shading both in the background as well as the subjects, and good edges. No margins, but that is the standard for this print. Clean verso. “Made in Japan” stamped on the verso. One small speck of foxing within the image.
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.
