Kokyo TANIGUCHI -- "Spirit of Heron Maiden"

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Artist Kokyo TANIGUCHI
(1864-1915)
Title "Spirit of Heron Maiden"
("Shirasagi no Sei")
Date 1925
(First Edition printing)
Provenance Obtained from Robert O. Muller's Estate following his death (via New York contact).
Series na
Publisher Sato Shotaro Publisher
(Kyoto, c1895-1931)
Seal, Carver/Printer Red "publisher's seal"
lower/left margin.
Image Size 9 3/4 x 15 3/8 ("dai-oban")
Impression Very Fine.
Skillfully executed "bokashi" shading to umbrella, face, hands, and background; extensive cheese-cloth "gauffrage" (embossing) to entire white robe; circular "baren sujizuri" to background; highly detailed carving.
Condition Nearly Excellent. Very good colors. Clean frontside and verso. (Few scatterd marks; light toning.) A few natural paper irregularities--clearly on old pre-War paper.
Tiny "Made in Japan" stamped lower verso margin.
Reference/Illus "The Female Image," Plate #123.
Comments Clothed in a white cotton kimono, this beauty is seen in a dance performance where the spirit of a heron changes into a girl, then becomes a heron again. One of only a few known works by Taniguchi. Quite Rare.
Item # DG-545
Price $1,600 (Sold/FW)