Choki Eishosai, Princess Sakura and Seigen, Hashira-e
Artist: Choki Eishosai as Shiko (1725-1795)
Title: Princess Sakura and Seigen
Date: late 18th century
Size: 61.5 x 11.4 cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
Hashira-e, or pillar prints, is a narrow print format originally intended for decoration of the supporting pillars in traditional Japanese houses. The prints would have been pasted to the pillars and exposed to the elements of the Japanese household, making those that have survived very rare collectibles. While these more unusual sizes present their own challenges to the printing process, they also allow the artist to be experimental, imaginative, and innovative with the design’s compositional limitations.
Subjects range from the traditional portrayals of bijin (beautiful women), to legendary figures and heroes, to birds and flowers, in a limited space brimming with artistic imagination and expression.
Choki Eishosai
Eishosai Choki, also known as Momokawa Choki, was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints who was active from about 1786 to 1808. He is known for his images of bijin (beautiful women) who are shown as lithe and slender. Choki, along with Utamaro, was a pupil of Toriyama Sekien (1712–1788). He was possibly the adopted son of Sekien, although the details of his life are unclear.
Along with his bijin-ga, Choki was also proficient in hashira-e (pillar prints) and kachō-e (bird and flower prints).
| Print Format | Hashira-e (Pillar Print) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Choki Eishosai |
| Subject | Male & Female |
| Dimensions | 61.5 x 11.4 cm |
| Condition Report | Discoloured due to previous mounting, creases on top, faded, slightly trimmed, joined panels. |
