$200–$1,500. Tree compositions are among the artist's most valued subjects. Good kacho-e: $500–$1,000. Key value factors: Ito Sozan's bird-and-flower prints are charming and affordably priced. Well-preserved examples with vivid color are most valued.
"Blue bird on maple tree" is a shin-hanga print by Ito Sozan, created during the Taisho and Showa periods. This work captures the enduring presence of trees with the contemplative sensitivity that characterizes the artist's finest nature prints.
Ito Sozan renders the subject with masterful control of the printing medium, using the interplay of carved line, color, and paper texture to evoke the tree's form, atmosphere, and symbolic resonance. Trees have long held special significance in Japanese art as symbols of endurance, seasonal change, and the beauty of the natural world.
This print represents Ito Sozan's contribution to the shin-hanga tradition during the Taisho and Showa periods. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Blue bird on maple tree (title not original) was created by Ito Sozan (伊藤宗山).
Blue bird on maple tree (title not original) depicts birds & flowers, trees, and autumn foliage.
