<b>TWO EGRETS</b> / Tsuchiya Rakuzan1932<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Perhaps inspired by large-scale Audubon prints, Rakuzan set out to create a series of one hundred oversized prints of kacho-e, or bird and flower designs. The prints were lavishly produced with bright and vivid colors and metallic pigments and expertly carved and printed by the top artisans of the period. The series took four years to complete and stands as one of the crowning achievements in 20th-century kacho-e. 

This stunning design depicts two large, white egrets, and Rakusan devotes most of the composition to showcasing these majestic birds. The spellbinding white in the feathers, accentuated by the extensive use of embossing (blind printing), is trailed  behind by wisps of finer feathers that appear to vibrate and suggest movement. The background is a neutral beige that accentuates these majestic birds' startling coloration. The artist adorns the background with reeds and tall grasses echoing the majestic birds' lanky legs.

Connoisseur's Note

From 1929 to 1933, Rakuzan produced his series of one hundred oversized kacho-e. Originally the artist intended to produce a single print run of two hundred copies each. However, he began reprinting additional print runs as he sold out each design, resulting in multiple states for each print. This impression is an example of the first edition with the Raku-san Kyo signature and the appropriate early artist seal.