Japanese Watercolours -- Watercolor Paintings

If you copy this bibliography, please reference the source: Ohmi Gallery! Very little is known about the majority of the pre-war Japanese watercolour artists. It is generally accepted that the producers of early Japanese watercolours (from late Meiji to early Showa) studied the Western-style watercolour technique, with many artists also having a Western-style education. In most cases the artists signed their names in the usual Western way using Roman letters. Despite the fact that most were superbly talented artists, their paintings can be obtained very inexpensively at auction. Artists represented here include R. Aoki, H. Fukaya, S. Hodo, S. Ishida (Shigeburo?), Yuhan Ito, Eika Kato, Kyoha, T. Masami, M. Matsu, Matsumoto, S. Niimi, H. Saito, Satsuta, K. Seki, T. Seki, Shuho, Fukutaro Terauchi, S. Tosuke, T. Tosuke, I. Yamanoi, T. E. Yanagiwara, and Tasuke (G.T.) Yokouchi.

I purchase Japanese watercolours - please read here for details. I have a small selection of watercolours available here.

Artists' Bibliography and Notes Fukutaro Terauchi (born December 9th, 1891) Very little is known about the artist Fukutaro Terauchi. Marc Kahn of Shotei.com in his article "Paintings by Terauchi, Masterpieces or Tourist Souvenirs?" speculated that Terauchi may be actually a group of artists who mass-produced watercolours for the tourist market. Later, I received an email from Fran Walker who owns an October 1963 Kyoto Hanga-In catalog, which contains two woodblock prints by the artist Fukutaro Terauchi (see my article on Kyoto Hanga-In catalogs here, and view page 27 of the 1963 catalog). One of these woodblock prints is shown below. Marc Kahn also received further independent information regarding Fukutaro Terauchi from a collector who purchased his paintings in the early 1970's. A Certificate of Authenticity included with these paintings states that Fukutaro Terauchi was born on December 9th, 1891. In 1910 he entered the private school of Kiyoteru Kuroda, and later became a member of the Hakuba Association. While we can speculate as to whether Terauchi was active pre-war or not, we can say with certainty that he was active in the 1960s and possibly the 1970s, although I have seen his death listed as having occurred in 1964. Do not confuse this artist with Terauchi Manjiro -- they are two different artists and their signatures are completely different. If you have a watercolour with a signature similar to those of the Terauchi paintings shown below, then your painting is not by Terauchi Manjiro. December 2006: another collector states that she has a Terauchi watercolour purchased from Yamatoya Fine Art Gallery with original receipts stating a date of October 7, 1970. June 2008: collector Laura Marino has a Terauchi painting in a frame that also contains a Japanese newspaper sheet dating to September 1958. S. Ishida An owner of an S. Ishida watercolour writes that his Ishida watercolour was framed by "Henry Schultheis paintings and prints inc.". Henry was head of the business sometime after 1913 up until 1932, when his son took the business over. Thus we now have strong evidence that K. Seki was a pre-war artist. However another S. Ishida owner writes "About a year ago I picked up a Japanese watercolour signed S. Ishida. It is curious because the picture appears well painted and not particularly recent but the card has green backing which looks more modern than I would have expected.", so S. Ishida may have also continued painting in the post-war period too. E. Kato The artist E. Kato may be Eizo Kato (1906-1972) or Eika Kato (1859-1942, born in Fukui Japan) -- most probably the latter. I've seen one painting dated 1911, so definitely a pre-war artist. K. Seki An owner of K. Seki watercolours writes that her grandmother bought two of his/her paintings in Japan between 1925 and 1932, so it would appear that K. Seki was certainly a pre-war artist. M. Matsu Mark Terry of New York writes that his aunt purchased an M. Matsu watercolour while in Japan in 1936/37, along with some woodblock prints published by Takemura Hideo. My M. Matsu watercolours below have a Takemura publisher's stamp on the verso, and we know that Takemura was active in the second-half of the 1930s. Thus we can say with a high degree of confidence that M. Matsu was a pre-war artist. S. Niimi John Maddaus writes "My mother lived in Sendai from 1935-1938 and came home with some of his watercolor prints". Thus we can say with a high degree of confidence that S. Niimi was active pre-war. S. Tosuke The owner of an S. Tosuke painting writes that her grandmother Mrs Frederick Shedd was taken on a Thomas Cook world tour during 1921 and 1922. During this time she aquired several watercolours including "an S Tosuke, a G Yokouchi and two T E Yanagiwaras". This confirms S. Tosuke was active as early as 1922. T. E. Yanagiwara A note on the back of my Yanagiwara watercolour states "Presented to Mrs Frederick Shedd on May 5th 1922", so it would appear that T. E. Yanagiwara was definitely a pre-war artist. Tasuke (G.T.) Yokouchi Tasuke Yokouchi (also known as GT Yokouchi), was an artist of renown talent who was active during the early part of the 20th century. He is probably the same artist as Ginnosuke Yokouchi (1870-1942), and, unknown to most collectors, he also self-published some striking limited-edition shin-hanga woodblock prints too (see a thorough biography of Yokouchi's woodblock print production at Hanga Gallery). As mentioned above, the owner of a G. Yokouchi painting writes that her grandmother Mrs Frederick Shedd was taken on a Thomas Cook world tour during 1921 and 1922. During this time she acquired several watercolours including "an S Tosuke, a G Yokouchi and two T E Yanagiwaras". This confirms G. Yokouchi was active as early as 1922.

Gallery of my Japanese Watercolours

S. Ishida Farm by Stream and Bamboo Grove

Satsuta Ships in Harbour Near Mount Fuji

Eika Kato Evening Riverside Market Scene

T. E. Yanagiwara Sailboat in Lake Near Mt. Fuji

Yuhan Ito (1867-1942) (Yoshihiko, Yasuhiko) Rainy Street Scene in Spring

Matsumoto Sailboats on Lake by Mt. Fuji

Yamanoi Mt Fuji and River

Yamanoi, I. Flowing River in Valley Forest

R. Aoki Boat Ride On River

Aoki Boats On Lake Near Mt. Fuji

Shuho Sailboats Under Moonlight

S. Hodo Pilgrim In Snow

H. Fukaya Coastal View At Sunrise

H. Fukaya Flowing River

T. Masami Miyajima At Low Tide

T. Masami Fishermen Returning

T. Masami Mt. Fuji and Mountain Pass

Kyoha Sailboats At Sea

G Yokouchi Night Fishing

M. Matsu

M. Matsu Urban Night Scene 1

M. Matsu Urban Night Scene 2

M. Matsu Urban Night Scene 3

M. Matsu Urban Night Scene 4

S. Nimi

S. Niimi Yaizu-no-hara

S. Niimi Mt Fuji In Snow

S. Niimi Pagoda By River In Spring

S. Niimi Torii Beside Lake In Autumn

S. Niimi Kegon Waterfall

Niimi S Mt Fuji and Sailboats on Lake 1930s/40s

H. Saito

H. Saito Bijin in Garden (1)

H. Saito Bijin in Garden (2)

H. Saito Bijin Doing Ikebana

K. Seki and T. Seki

K. Seki Japanese Garden

T. Seki Misty Moonlit Night, Farmhouse by River

K. Seki Cyprus Pines By Mt Fuji Lake

K. Seki Farm By Flowing Stream

Seki K Country Farm by Stream in Autumn 1930s/40s

Seki K Cherry Tyrees by Riverside Hut 1930s/40s

Terauchi

Fukutaro Terauchi Night Rain Under Willows

Fukutaro Terauchi Spring at the Farm

Fukutaro Terauchi Pagoda In Spring (1)

Fukutaro Terauchi Pagoda In Spring (2)

Fukutaro Terauchi Evening Winter Town Scene

Fukutaro Terauchi Sailing Boat (船帆) (woodblock print)

S. Tosuke and T. Tosuke

S. Tosuke Valley Town By Mt Fuji In Winter (A)

S. Tosuke Valley Town By Mt Fuji In Winter (B)

S. Tosuke Village By Lake In Winter

S. Tosuke View of Mt Fuji from Lake

Tosuke S Hut By River In Bamboo Grove 1923/24

T. Tosuke Cyprus Pines

T. Tosuke Mt. Fuji and River Through Valley