Onuma Chiyuki

active ca. 1950s

Womens Appearances in the Twelve Months: Set of Six Woodblock Prints, Part One, December to May

set of six woodblock prints; each signed Chiyuki ga, three with details highlighted in mica, each with the title in kanji on the upper left margin followed by the date, Showa sanjusannen saku (made in Showa 33 [1958])

each approximately 16 7/8 by 11 1/4 in., 43 by 28.5 cm

This set of six works comprise the first half of what was intended to be a series of twelve prints, however, it appears that production was halted after the sixth print was issued. Extant original folders provide the series title and may have identified the specific months associated with each design. The individual print titles are:

December: Under the Light (Toka)
January: New Years Day (Shinshun)
February: Playing Cards (Karuta)
March: Elegant (Kanga)
April: Shade of Blossoms (Hanakage)
May: Spring Clothing (Shunso)

Publication of the series has been alternately credited to the book publisher Shobunsha, or an otherwise unknown Sobunsha (one wonders if may be a mispelling of Shobisha, a print publisher active in the 1950s), and produced with contributions by (or under the supervision of) the famous carver and printer, Maeda Kentaro, along with carvers H. Okura and S. Shibamura; and printers S. Shindo and K. Takei.

References:
Helen Merritt and Nanako Yamada, Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975, 1995, p. 124
Brooklyn Museum, accession no. 2007.32.89 (February, Playing Cards)

(inv. no. C-3212)

price: $3,000