Yamamura Koka – Maiko (Toyonari Yamamura – Maiko)

Original woodblock print. The first edition of this design was published in 1924. The current print was printed in 1924.

The design shows a Maiko. Maikos were apprentice-Geishas and as such were trained in art forms meant for entertainment, such as dance and music.

The print is a first edition, in very good condition. There are a few small imperfections, visible on the pictures, of which a very small spot on the lower cheeck is the most significant one. The upper border of the paper shows some black, but far removed from the image. The pictures intend to display all of this, including close-ups and a pencil written number on the back.

The size of the image within the print is 38.3 * 26.4 cm.

The print is in excellent condition.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

—

Yamamura Koka (1885-1942) started as a painter but was noticed by famous woodblock print publisher Watanabe Shozaburo, who then published a number of prints of Yamamura Koka’s designs. After this more prints of Yamamura Koka were published by a society specifically created for this purpose by a group of supporters, or self-published with support by the society. Yamamura Koka excelled at portraits and his prints in this genre are among some of the best of the Shin-hanga movement.

See an overview of Yamamura Koka's woodblock prints