Nijo-castle at Kyoto
by Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870–1949)
€320.00
- Type
- Original woodblock print
- First edition
- 1933
- This edition
- Heisei period (1989 - 2019)
- Image size
- 36.0 × 16.5 cm
- Condition
- Excellent
Description
Nijo Castle is a very large castle in Kyoto. It contains a palace, many buildings, and large gardens. Construction of the current castle began in the early 17th century by the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is fortified by two concentric rings of walls and moats. The outer ring is depicted here, together with one of its watchtowers. As can be seen from this print, the walls are fairly low, and stretch very far, raising questions about their defensive effectiveness. They may nonetheless have fulfilled their tactical purpose. It is said that the Shogun intended Nijo Castle to just slow down an enemy to gain enough time for reinforcements from regions close to Kyoto to arrive. On top of that, if an enemy were to conquer the castle, it would be beneficial if it was not strong enough to be defended effectively for very long. Others speculate that its limited defensibility was intended to project an air of invulnerability. In the end, the castle was never attacked, and though fires sometimes destroyed part of it, the castle remained for Tsuchiya Koitsu to depict it in 1933.
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Prints are shipped in acid-free materials, packed flat between strong and rigid boards so they cannot bend or take pressure in transit.
Descriptions written by us, not by AI
Every biography and print description is written by us, from our own examination of the print and from reference works.
4 / 6
Accurate photographs and full condition notes
Every print is examined by us and every flaw is described in the condition notes. We prefer listing too much over listing too little.
The photographs are of the actual impression for sale, front and back, margins included, unretouched. What you see is what arrives.
5 / 6
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Returns are accepted and fully refunded within 14 days of delivery. The buyer covers the return shipping.
