Here we have a rare set of woodcut prints created by students in occupied Japan. The art prints were discovered in an old estate in Stillwater, Minnesota. The previous owner thought they were from the 1940s or early 50s. My guess is the prints were originally preserved by an American teacher stationed in Japan.
The nine vintage woodcuts are an amazing window into a certain time and place. Not to mention that those kids did some amazing work. The naive yet vivid images will stop you in your tracks. My favorite prints are the woman knitting and the guy chopping wood.
Each woodcut has a short message written in graphite on the reverse. Here's the inscriptions:
1. Woman knitting print - "Knitting"
2. Card game print - "Playing 'Shogi', Japanese chess, in 'Kotatsu.' Shogo Nakatani (14 year old boy)"
3. Chopping print - "Breaking firewoods, Yayoi Nohashi (13 year old girl)"
4. Firewood print - "Sleighing firewoods, Juzo Otani (11 year old boy)"
5. Cooking print - "Cooking in the living room, Tanyako Kita (12 year girl)"
6. Woman near table print - "Mother in the kitchen, Aiko Arai (9 years girl)"
7. Unoccupied kitchen print - "Kitchen, Shogo Nakatani (14 year boy)"
8. Guy near firewood print - "Picking up firewood which carried on sleigh, Hideko Nakatani (11 year girl)"
9. Women stirring print....the piece is attached to a green folder, which housed the rest of the prints.
Each art print measures about 13" x 9 1/2". The woodcuts have held up well given their age. There is some small foxing spots seen on some of the prints, especially on the reverse. The green folder piece appears to be attached with some adhesive. Please see all pics as they are part of the description.
I ship to the continental USA only. The woodcut print set will be shipped in an acid free sleeve with the green folder. Free shipping on the rare set. The price includes all nine woodcuts.
Imagine framing these rare Japanese prints and displaying them on a wall. You'll have one amazing story to facilitate. Don't miss out.
