Tachibana Morikuni

Egret and Rush from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)

Tachibana Morikuni's original woodcut, "Egret and Rush" originates from his famous set of volumes entitled, Unpitsu soga (The Moving Brush in Rough or Quick Painting), published by Nishimura Genroku in 1749. This was a very early and successful attempt to simulate 'so' or rapid brush work in the woodcut medium. The set was published in three volumes in Osaka one year after Morikuni's death. This impression is printed upon two sheets of 18th century Japanese mulberry paper and with full margins as published in at the date stated above. The British Museum, London, includes the complete work in its permanent collection. "Egret and Rush" is the fifteenth image within volume two and can be viewed online under the museum's number, 1979,0305,0.92.2. It is a fine, original example of the animal art created by Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni, a master of both Kano and Tosa styles.

Egret and Rush from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)

View other original Japanese woodcuts by Tachibana Morikuni.

Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Source	-
01.-		Egret and Rush from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)
02.-		Floral Study from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
03.-		Horses from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On One Panel	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
04.-		Peacock from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
05.-		Water Buffalo from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
06.-		Young Sparrow from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) by the Japanese artist, Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold

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Title:	Egret and Rush
Artist:	Morikuni, Tachibana (Osaka, 1679-1748)
Date:	1749
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels
Publisher:	Nishimura Genroku
Source:	Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)
Note:	Tachibana Morikuni: A leading eighteenth century painter, illustrator and writer, Tachibana Morikuni was a master of both Kano and Tosa styles. A student of Tsuruzawa Tanzan, Morikuni lived and worked in Osaka. His major illustrated books include, Ehon Koji-dan (1714), Morokoshi Kimmo-zui (1719), Ehon shaho-bukuro (1720), Gaten tsuko (1727), Honcho gaen (1729), Utai gashi (1732), Ehon oshukubai (1740) and Unpitsu soga (1749). Egret and Rush originates from the last named volume.
	Unpitsu soga, a three volume set, was actually published a year after Tachibana Morikuni's death. Unpitsu soga (translated as, 'the Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting'), dealt mostly with studies of animals, birds and flowers. Designed in the academic Kano style, these woodcuts are very early examples of producing graduated tones and lines by scraping the blocks in order to simulate the effects of actual brushwork. This technique is clearly seen in this beautiful woodcut of an Egret and Rush. Tachibana Morikuni's "Egret and Rush" hails from volume two of the Unpitsu soga published by in 1749 by Nishimura Genroku. The British Museum, London, includes the complete work in its permanent collection. "Egret and Rush" is the fifteenth image within volume two and can be viewed online under the museum's number, 1979,0305,0.92.2.
	Depictions of birds have long been a tradition in art, both in China and Japan, often with literary, or religious connotations, a practice still popular with the artists of today. The most illustrated, but not necessarily in that order, are the birds of prey, such as hawks or falcons, often viewed as symbols of the powerful warrior with great military might. Peacocks symbolize, royalty, beauty, purity, and amongst other things, immortality. Song birds are symbolic of poetry and solitude, and sparrows traditionally symbolize happiness. Waterfowl, such as swans, ducks, cranes, herons or egrets often appear in mythology and folklore. In China, the heron or egret represents strength, purity, patience and longevity, and in Japan, the crane symbolizes loyalty and strength. This Tachibana Morikuni woodcut represents a beautiful, original example of the floral and bird art from the eighteenth century.

Size:	8 1/2 X 12 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Framed & Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Buy Now	Price: $395.00 US
Condition:	Printed upon two sheets of thin 18th century Japanese mulberry (rice) paper as published by Nishimura Genroku in Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) in 1749. The sheets have previously been joined by a former owner. As well, the lettering in the right and left margins has been trimmed to the border. Containing two thin holes to the center left of the egret, else a finely printed impression and in good condition throughout. Egret and Rush represents a superb, original example of the eighteenth century woodcut art of Tachibana Morikuni.
Subject:	Tachibana Morikuni, Egret and Rush, original 18th century Japanese woodcut, Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting) , 'so' or rapid brush work, Kano and Tosa styles, scraping the blocks in order to simulate the effects of actual brushwork.
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