A rare pre-earthquake chuban-sized woodblock by Ito Sozan with the 9mm Watanabe seal on the right side of the print.
The Woodblock Print
This chuban-sized woodblock is in very fine condition. Beautiful color and detail without discolorations, intact and clean margins, a clean verso. A slight thinned area in the upper margin.
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 Little known, his catalog of prints have been overshadowed by the more famous Ohara Koson as he also seems to have been replaced by Koson for his publisher Watanabe.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).
