Toyonari - Morita Kanya as Jean Valjean

Toyonari, Yamamura

From the 12 print series Flowers of the Theatrical World Posthumous edition, printed in the Heisei Period (1989-2019), by the original publisher - Watanabe Color Print Co., from the original blocks.

Born in Shinagawa section of Tokyo. Given name Yoshitaka; used the art name Koka for paintings, Toyonari generally for prints, although also occasionally Koka. Studied with Ogata Gekko. Graduated in 1907 from Tokyo School of Fine Arts in Japanese-style painting. Exhibited a painting at the first Bunten, 1907; also exhibited at Inten and with Ugokai. Member of Saiko Nihon Bijutsuin from 1916. In 1916 Watanabe Shozaburo saw painting of an actor at Inten and asked to make a print from it; followed this with a series of 12 okubi-e actor prints in 1920-1922. Other woodblocks including Pelicans, Jar of Dahlias, and Parrot, all 1924, were published by Watanabe. Also made lithographs. The series of actors and bird and flower woodblocks were shown at the Toledo Museum exhibition in 1930. 

"Heisei" prints were published at the beginning of "Heisei" period (1988 - ) by the publisher Watanabe. They carefully restored the original woodblocks used for their most famous and popular Shin Hanga designs. They asked the skilled printers available today to print the "Heisei" edition with the utmost care. 

Publisher: A square "Watanabe" (Heisei seal) on the left margin. This design is in the collections of the Toledo Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Art Boston, etc.

Condition: Excellent condition, not backed.