Posted by Rakusan Hydrangea an (209.77.148.62) on March 16, 2004 at 07:28:36:
In Reply to: Re: pigeons in hydrangeas posted by jodi on March 10, 2004 at 22:38:13:
Jodi,
Your print is reproduced on page 15 of the little Foster booklet that is usually for sale on eBay for less than $10. Note that there are also photolithographic reproductions of the original woodblock out there: 13x18 and 9x12 inches. The title in the lower margin actually reads from right to left "Hydrangea and Collared Turtledoves (Mid Summer)". The signature and seal vary by edition. The original woodblock dates from 1930 but was reprinted into the 1950's. The artist spelled his own name Rakusan Tsuchiya in English, but you will also see the z spelling from people transliterating the characters in the name directly. The golden flecks are actually ground up mica applied to either the wet ink, or as is usual on this design, to a blocked area of glue binder. It is an original woodblock if you cannot see little dots under a magnifying glass, and it is not reduced in size.
Michael Nichols