1893-1945
One Hundred Pictures of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era: Kabuki Theater at Kobikicho (no. 46)
(Showa dai Tokyo hyakuzue: Kobiki-cho kabuki-za)
self-carved, self-printed; signed within the composition, Izumi in kanji and KOIZUMI KISIO in block Roman letters, print title on the upper left margin in black, Kobiki-cho kabuki-za, the series title on the right margin, Showa dai Tokyo hyakuzue, dated and numbered, hanga kanseiban, dai kyunen nigatsu saku, yonjuroku kei (complete print series, 9th year [1934], 2nd month, no. 46), and signed in pencil, Koizumi Kishio, 1934
dai oban tate-e 15 1/2 by 11 7/8 in., 39.5 by 30.2 cm
In 1928 Kishio Koizumi released the first print of this ambitious series of 100 designs. Entirely self-carved and self-printed, the series would take nine years to complete during a period of rapid expanding and rebuilding of Tokyo and tumultuous political and social change in Japan. Koizumi's views of Tokyo reflected an interest in the modernization of the city while at the same time a sense of nostalgic pride in traditional Japan.
In the 1940 annotated index Koizumi comments fondly: The stunning facade of the Kabukiza. Red signs naming the actors add luster to the entrance.
References:
James T. Ulak, Tokyo Modern-II, Koizumi Kishio's 1940 Annotations on "100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Visualizing Cultures (visualizingcultures.mit.edu), 2009 (Koizumi translation)
The Wolfsonian-Florida International University, Miami Beach, Florida, Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection, no. TD1993.69.1.58
(inv. no. 10-5647)
offered as a set
price: (reserved)