Untitled (natori-shunsen)

Medium:

Woodblock print

Format:

Oban

Publisher:

Watanabe Shozaburo

Edition:

Published by Watanabe Shozaburo

Source:

Honolulu Museum of Art

Typical Price

Every Shunsen print from the 36-actor series and the supplemental 15-print series (1929–1931) was limited to ~150 copies, making all original Watanabe impressions inherently scarce. Mica backgrounds and vivid color are key condition criteria that separate first from later impressions.

Later printings or condition issues: $300–$1,000
Original Watanabe editions: $1,000–$3,500
First editions in exceptional condition: $3,500–$6,500

Description

"Untitled" is a [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) print by Natori Shunsen, created during the Taisho and Showa periods. This abstract work reflects the artist's exploration of form, color, and texture through the woodblock medium.

Natori Shunsen approaches abstraction through the unique constraints and possibilities of woodblock printing, where the grain of the wood, the pressure of the [baren](/glossary/baren), and the interaction of pigment and paper all contribute to the final image. Shunsen was the foremost shin-hanga portraitist of kabuki actors, creating psychologically penetrating close-up portraits that captured both the theatrical role and the performer beneath the makeup.

As a [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) work — designed, carved, and printed entirely by the artist's own hand — this print embodies the creative philosophy that the printmaker's personal expression should permeate every stage of production, from concept to finished impression.

This print represents Natori Shunsen'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.