Eiichi Kotozuka – Evening Snow at Kiyamachi

The current print is offered on behalf of a long-time Dutch collector. This does not change anything for customers wishing to buy, except that the print will only be available for a fixed period of time.

Original woodblock print. The first edition of this design was published circa 1950. The current print is from the 1950s.

Kotozuka Eiichi was very accomplished in making snow scenes, and the current print is probably his best one. It depicts the Kiyamachi Dori in the old centre of Kyoto, along with the canalized river Takase. It is near Ponto-cho, the district known for Geisha and Maiko. Indeed, in the print two Maiko can be seen walking through the snow, next to lanterns and tea houses. In front, two willow trees are visible, trees compared to Geisha because of their grace and strength.

Image size (excluding margins): 26.9 * 38.8 cm (10.6 * 15.3 in).

The print is in very good condition, with some signs of aging. There are a few mild foxing spots visible in the margin, and toning on the back. Possibly due to acidic publication folders, many Eiichi Kotozuka designs have not been preserved well, and it is rare to see the current print in such a good state.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

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Eiichi Kotozuka (1906 – 1981) was a Japanese woodblock print artist, working in the Sosaku-hanga style. He depicted traditional woodblock print themes, such as flowers and landscapes, but also made interesting prints of Japanese cultural traditions.

An overview of the woodblock prints by Eiichi Kotozuka can be found here.

See an overview of Eiichi Kotozuka's woodblock prints