Bakufu, Ohno

"Bakufu, Ohno" — rendered with the artist's name as title — suggests this may be a self-promotional print, a colophon page, a frontispiece, or an introductory plate from one of Bakufu's published series, where the artist identifies himself and his work to the reader. Such plates were common in Japanese printed books and print series, serving as a signature and statement of artistic identity. The reversal of the surname-first convention (Bakufu, Ohno rather than Ohno Bakufu) suggests it may have been intended for a Western audience.