Lot 888: 2 Japanese Woodblock Landscape Prints Incl. Hiroshige, Famous Places in Edo

Item 1: Utagawa Hiroshige (Japan, 1797-1858) horizontal oban woodblock print entitled “Visiting the Fudo Temple in Meguro (Meguro Fudo mode)” from the series Famous Places in Edo, 1827-1839. Signed and sealed in the image, upper left, and titled to margin, upper right (under frame). With red feather-within-a-square stamp en verso, lower left, likely an unidentified collector’s mark. An envelope containing a note with artist and title information is taped to backing. Housed under glass in a gilt and ebonized wood frame with beige mat. Sheet: 9 7/16 in H x 14 5/16 in W. Frame: 17 1/4 in H x 21 1/2 in W. Item 2: Woodblock print in colors by unknown artist, after Utagawa Hiroshige II’s (Japan, 1826-1869) “Snow at Kiso in Shinano Province” from the series One Hundred Famous Views in Various Provinces, 1859. 19th or early 20th c. impression. Signed in the image, lower left, and titled upper right. Housed under glass in a gilt and ebonized wood frame with beige mat and black reveal. Sheet: 9 7/16 in H x 7 1/8 in W. Frame: 14 1/2 in H x 12 1/4 in W. 

PROVENANCE:

Estate of Dr. Allen E. Johnson.

CONDITION:

1st item with fading and staining, primarily marginal. Sheet is affixed to archival paper backing with three spots of glue applied to upper margin en verso. 2nd item with minor marginal foxing plus pinholes to corners. Negligible dog-ear creases to three of four corners. Sheet is taped to mat en verso, with adhesive staining to taped area.