This charming doll series is a rare and curious item from a woodblock artist who was the foremost shin hanga (new print) landscape specialist of his day. Hasui’s gosho doll prints are seldom encountered individually, and intact complete sets rarely come to market. We will be happy to send images of each of the 24 prints upon request.

CONDITION is excellent, with good impressions and color. Several of the prints employ the use of metallic pigments and other deluxe printing techniques. There is very light foxing on only two of the prints, numbers 18 and 21. The spine of the folio box is worn in places.

The image is boldly printed with strong two-toned dark green colors, depicting a little girl dressed in a patterned green robe edged with red. She wears a white headdress through which the wood grain appears in gray. Her slightly down-turned face bears the slightest suggestion of a tiny nose and mouth beneath demurely closed eyelids. This woodblock is wonderfully over-printed with lots of shiny white mica on the girl, and the entire dark green background is also dusted with mica.

Kawano Kaoru was born in Otaru, Hokkaido, and in 1934, he began his studies at the Kawabata Art School. In 1944 his prints were first accepted by the Japan Print Association; thereafter he was drafted to the army and taken prisoner of war in Siberia. He resumed activity in 1949. By the 1950's, he began to exhibit more frequently in solo exhibitions and international competitions. In 1954 he won the Kokuga Prize. In 1957, he participated in the International Serigraph Exhibition in New York and other exhibitions in Chicago, Yugoslavia and other places; and after 1959, one-man shows in Japan as well as in Seattle and Chicago. He was a member of the Japan Print Society. He died at the age of 49.

Kawano's works are chiefly fantastic and childish, often depicting girls, birds and flowers for the subjects of his prints. His romantic and dreamy expression is backed up by his religion of Christianity, as his motif gives a very impressive style. His prints sometimes lean towards the sentimental, particularly his depiction of young children. His distinctive technique is characterized by his effective and scrupulous use of natural wood grain patterns for the background as well as for the body of his subject. This provides both depth and texture to his designs. Most of his prints are signed or sealed, and many are self-carved and self-printed.

CONDITION is pristine. The workmanship in both carving and printing is extremely good. Crisp clean image and impression with strong color, excellent registration and fine detail. No toning or fading; unmounted. Lush use of mica throughout (which unfortunately does not show up well in the photographs). Strong ink bleed through; printed on heavy high quality handmade paper; no tears, stains or folds. This is such a charming woodblock print – one of the cutest "young girl" images for which Kawano is so well known.

The iris (“shobu”), a sturdy, easily cultivated flower, is emblematic of May and is also the main symbol of the Boys’ Day Festival. The long, flat, blade-shaped leaves are reminiscent of a sword, and thus this flower connotes manly strength and has come to be symbolic of victory. Its stiff upright petals are likened to the outstanding character and virtues associated with ancient samurai warriors, and it can also be used to represent a wish for good health and renewed vitality.

The woodblock prints of Sadanobu III (son of Sadanobu II) were primarily images of warriors, actors, and maiko. The overwhelming majority of his prints were published by the Uchida Print Co. of Kyoto, Japan, a print publisher catering to the tastes and demands of Western customers.

CONDITION is pristine, with excellent color and registration, and strong ink bleed through.