| Japanese Vocations in Pictures, series 1, 2, and 3 Also known by the unofficial title of 'Occupations of the Showa Era in Pictures'. Sanzo Wada graduated from the Western-style painting division of Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Studied in Europe 1907-1915; traveled to India and Burma. Appointed Member Imperial Arts Academy in 1927 and taught at Tokyo School of Fine arts from 1927. According to Shinagawa Kiyoomi, editor-in-chief of the book of paintings in print 'Dia Nihon Gyorui Gashuu' by Ohno Bakufu, Sanzo Wada wanted to make a series of prints that expressed the rapid modernisation that Japan was experiencing in the 1930s. As an example of this modernisation, he chose to depict workers in Showa-era occupations, not just those occupations of recent times, but also those traditional occupations that were gradually disappearing. To do this, Wada brought together woodblock print printers and carvers from as far away as Kyoto and Tokyo, and housed them and their families in a lodging house that he purchased in Nishinomiya near Kobe. The publication of this series by Nishinomiya Sho-In, called 'Japanese Vocations in Pictures' (Showa Shokugyo E-Zukushi) commenced in Showa 13 (1938), and it was Wada's plan to publish 2 new prints every month until a total of 100 designs had been completed. His prints often appeared in the main Japanese newspapers, and Asahi Newspaper even used their resident woodblock print artist Yoshida to critique Wada's work. This series by Wada became an instant hit, and orders for his prints flooded in, not just from customers in mainland Japan, but also from places as far away as Karafuto (the Japanese name for Sakhalin Island), Manchuu (the pre-war Japanese name for Manchuria), and even Singapore. However, (according to Shinagawa Kiyoomi) because to the deteriorating domestic conditions due to the war, publication was suspended Showa 18 (1943). In the end, Wada was only able to publish a total of 48 prints during the war period, as two series each containing 24 prints. New prints were indeed issued a pair at a time on a monthly basis, but perhaps due to war-time hardships there were no prints published in some months. After the war, Kyoto Hanga-In continued the series under the name 'Continuing Japanese Vocations in Pictures', with 24 scenes being published (during the period 1954 to 1956), so the originally planned issue of a total of 100 scenes was not fulfilled. I have been able to confirm that the pre-war series were limited-editions of 300 prints per scene. The first pair of prints were issued in June 1939, and the latest confirmed date for prints 21 and 22 from the second series were issued in June 1941. Soon after Wada issued a limited edition set in a deluxe album containing all 48 prints. The third series published in the 1950s by Kyoto Hanga-In entitled 'Continuing Japanese Vocations in Pictures' (Zoku Showa Shokugyo Ezukushi) was issued as a limited-edition series of 200 prints. The earliest print date is November 1954, and the last print date is September 1956.
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Salaried man Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: June 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Evening Paper Vendor (Yuukan Uri) Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Fishermen Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Machinist Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Potter Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Komuso Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Flower Vendor Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Salaried man Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: June 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Inn for Sailers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Soldiers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Farrier Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Soldiers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Players Of Western Music- A Quartet Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: June 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Pilgrims Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: June 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Boxers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Goldfish Seller Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Professional Tennis Players Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Riverboat Captain Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Farrier Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Picture-Story Teller Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Sword Sharpener Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1939 |
Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Pilgrims Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: June 1939 |
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Shoe Cleaning Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Stone Mason Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Oden Stall Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Salvation Army Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Grenhouse Worker Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: June 1941
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Farming Family Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1941
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Fishing Pond Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Cook Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Soba Vendor Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Farming Family Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Coal Vendor Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Stone Mason Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Oden Stall Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Salvation Army Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Women's Hair Dresser Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Milker Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Sake Distiller Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41 |
Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Cook Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41 |
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Mendicant Priest Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1956 September
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Lesson in Calligraphic Writing Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1954 December
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Day Labourer Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 November
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Shoe Shiner Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1954 December
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Maiko Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 February
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Dollmakers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 March
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Fisherwoman Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 September
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Day Labourer Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 November
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Drum Maker Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955, November
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Railway Workers Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 December
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Music Master Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1955 December
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Dying Shop Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1956 March
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Coal Miners Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1956 April |
Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Welder Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1956 June |
Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Mendicant Priest Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 3 Date: 1956 September |
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| Series 1 and 2 (later 1950s edition) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: Farming Family Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 2 Date: 1940/41 |
Artist: Wada, Sanzo (1883-1967) Title: The Komuso Series: Japanese Vocations in Pictures - Series 1 Date: 1940 |
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