Baido Hosai
(Japanese printmaker, 1848 - 1920)
Japanese, (1848–1920)
Baido Hosai made woodblock prints mainly for the kabuki theater. Basically there are two categories. Triptychs with scenes from kabuki plays. And secondly, a large number of actor portraits - mostly in small format.
Another important output of the artist consists of triptychs showing events and court life scenes focused on the imperial couple, emperor and empress Meiji. Baido Hosai simply followed a market trend. Woodblock prints showing scenes from the Meiji court were in popular demand by a public that was in general proud of Japan's military, economic and technical achievements.
According to Helen Merritt (see below), Baido Hosai made also prints with scenes from the Russo-Japanese war. Out of the more than 120 prints by this artist that we sold since 2001, there was not one war print. But I am sure that this information is true. Nearly all Meiji printmakers were involved in designing prints from the Sino-Japanese (1894-95) or the Russo-Japanese war of 1904/05. Japanese woodblock prints showing the latest news from the front were big business for the Sino-Japanese war - for the Russo-Japanese war less.
(Japanese printmaker, 1848 - 1920)
Japanese, (1848–1920)
Baido Hosai made woodblock prints mainly for the kabuki theater. Basically there are two categories. Triptychs with scenes from kabuki plays. And secondly, a large number of actor portraits - mostly in small format.
Another important output of the artist consists of triptychs showing events and court life scenes focused on the imperial couple, emperor and empress Meiji. Baido Hosai simply followed a market trend. Woodblock prints showing scenes from the Meiji court were in popular demand by a public that was in general proud of Japan's military, economic and technical achievements.
According to Helen Merritt (see below), Baido Hosai made also prints with scenes from the Russo-Japanese war. Out of the more than 120 prints by this artist that we sold since 2001, there was not one war print. But I am sure that this information is true. Nearly all Meiji printmakers were involved in designing prints from the Sino-Japanese (1894-95) or the Russo-Japanese war of 1904/05. Japanese woodblock prints showing the latest news from the front were big business for the Sino-Japanese war - for the Russo-Japanese war less.
Artist Objects
Artist Images