$500–$4,000. Common Tokyo views: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Nouet's Tokyo views have historical as well as artistic value, documenting pre-war landmarks. French connection adds collector interest.
Shiba Furukawa, written as 芝古川, refers to a section of the old Furukawa River as it passes through the Shiba district of Tokyo's Minato ward, an area known for the grand Zojo-ji temple and the surrounding gardens of former feudal estates. Nouet's [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print captures a waterway scene in a neighborhood that blended religious architecture, aristocratic gardens, and the everyday bustle of a Tokyo commercial district. The Furukawa, a modest urban stream, winds through a landscape of bridges, embankment walls, and overhanging trees that provided Nouet with intimate, human-scaled subject matter quite different from the grand vistas of his bridge and temple prints. The Shiba district's proximity to Tokyo Bay gave it a maritime character, with the river serving as a link between the port and the inland city.
Woodblock print
1928
Color lithograph
1930
Color lithograph
1948
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Shiba Furukawa — 芝古川 was created by Noël Nouët.
Shiba Furukawa — 芝古川 was published by Unsodo.
Shiba Furukawa — 芝古川 depicts urban scenes, temples & shrines, and rivers & lakes.
