Hiroshige

42133201 — Tokyo n.d. ca 1860. Color Oban print sheet:24.2 x 36 cm. print size 23 x 34 cm. very good impression & registryvery bright & cleanleft margin a bit trimmeda few old pin holes mended on verso now firm & solid shows 2 foreigners. RARE ! . . . . A DELIGHTFUL LOOK AT THE WATERFALLS . . . AT JUNISO SHRINE TSUNOHARAZU-MURA KOHSHUU KAIDO HIGHWAY . . . NEAR SHINJUKU EDO . This is an early period print ca. 1860 issued just a few years after the opening of Japan by the American Commodore M.C. Perry. . The arrival of foreigners to Japan came after 1854 with the new treaty. . Following Tokubei's interest in the modernization and western influence on Japan he sought to record foreign innovations including images of foreigners in Japan. . This print shows just how two foreigners managed to go and see the waterfalls. They are 'minded' and 'protected' by a Samurai wearing the Dai & Sho large & small swords. Another non-related Japanese is looking at the waterfalls. . In these early days of foreigners visiting Japan incidents of Samurai killing foreigners was not an unusual event. In that case foreigners were commonly 'protected' by other Samurai following the Shogun's orders. It was a crime to assault foreigners during this time. . The cartouche at the top left gives the details of print contents including stating this is #12 of the series showing the county seat of this view along the EDO MEISHO ZUE: PICTURES OF FAMOUS SIGHTS IN EDO from the series. series . THE ARTIST: HIROSHIGE Tokubei III 1842 or 1843-1894: He was a Ukiyo-e printmaker and a pupil of the most famous and eminent and well-known icon Ando Hiroshige I. . Tokubei took his master's surname after 1865. He produced a good number of fakes after his famous master but the colors never matched the originals. He also produced his own prints and color illustrated books after his master's style. . Color photos are posted to our website. . CONDITION: The print is Oban vertical orientation the impression is excellent and the registry is very good clear clean solid and stable. . There a few tiny pin but neatly mended holes on the left margin that were mended in the distant past using Washi handmade Japanese mulberry fiber paper where this print was bound and stitched into a book format. . The left margin was trimmed in the distant past. Otherwise this is a clean example the verso is also clean no marks. . . unknown