ANTIQUE JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINT, AFTER KITAGAWA UTAMARO (1753-1806) TITLED HARI-SHIGOTO WITH COA,

拍品描述

Antique Japanese woodblock print after Kitigawa Utamaro (1750-1806) titled Hari-Shigoto (Needlework). This piece is after the original which was created in 1794-1795, and it is the left part of a triptych. There is a black seal on the verso that indicates that this piece was produced by Takamizawa Enji between 1927 and 1938. Takamizawa Enji (1870-1927) is infamous as one of the earliest perpetrators of Ukiyo-e fraud. His company, the Takamizawa Woodblock Print Company, founded in 1911, produced authorized replicas but also created counterfeit versions of valuable old prints. Enji's deceptive methods included starting with worn, low-quality original prints that had faded colors and poor condition. He then used newly carved blocks to print over the aged paper, a technique referred to as "rejuvenation." Watanabe called him the "demon of reproduction" and criticized him as a fraudster. Despite this, Enji managed to continue his deception for years, largely unchecked. His fraudulent activities might have remained unnoticed outside Japan if not for his deception of the renowned collector Frank Lloyd Wright. Despite his infamous reputation, his reproductions are made with excellent quality. They are in some museum collections and some of these reproductions and sell for 1000s of dollars. This piece was part of the famous Robert O. Muller collection, and it was purchased by Muller in the 1930s. This piece is matted and framed under glass, in an ornate wooden frame. With frame, this measures 17.5 inches x 21.5 inches. This piece comes with a detailed Certificate of Provenance and Authority (see picture)., 17.5IN x 21.5IN (44.4cm x 54.6cm), LOT REF #25-208

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