Yoshitoshi Mori (1898 - 1992)

RONIN GALLERY

RONIN GALLERY

The Largest Collection of Japanese Prints in the U.S.Japanese and East Asian Contemporary Art

RoninGallery.com

425 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017

January 2016

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While the floating world of Edo had long disappeared by Yoshitoshi Mori’s birth in 1898, his family roots intertwine deep with-in its culture of artisans, instilling his ener-getic work with an inherent understanding of a time past. His subjects range from the daily life of the working class in the low-lands of Edo (shitamachi), sensual beauties of the night, and dramatic kabuki portraits, to Buddhist imagery and intimate imagin-ings of classic tales and legendary heroes. Ronin Gallery is pleased to represent the private collection of Eiko Mori, along with other major works, in the exhibition Yoshi-toshi Mori (1898–1992). Avidly collected by museums and private collectors alike, Mori’s work is renowned for its spirited expression of traditional subject matter in

a distinctly modern visual dialect. Many of the works in this collection are num-ber one of their edition or one of a kind. Boldly graphic, vibrantly colored, and un-falteringly dynamic, Mori’s works aston-ish the viewer with their tangible vitality. Each piece stops its beholder in his or her tracks, for each work has a story to tell. From flowing kappazuri and the artist’s pri-vate sketchbook, to large-scale sumptuous screen paintings, this exhibition explores the powerful oeuvre of this pivotal member of the Japanese sosaku hanga, or “creative print,” movement.

Mori created the majority of his prints through kappazuri, a form of stencil print-ing, layering color and form with self-cut stencils. Through this technique, Mori’s

YOSHITOSHI MORI(1898–1992)

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translated his 30 years of dyeing experi-ence to printmaking, applying the same stencil method used for textiles to paper. Mori’s printing process began with a sheet of shibugami; a stencil paper made from several sheets of smoke-cured, handmade paper adhered together with persimmon tannin. He pasted his design onto this flexible, strong, and water-resistant stencil paper before using a sharp knife to remove all spaces destined for color. He was left with the skeleton of his design, or the key impression (omogata), and several color stencils. Mori removed the original design from the stencil paper, wet the stencil to increase flexibility, and, in certain cases, reinforced thin lines with silk gauze. He brushed on each color, progressing from light to dark. With each layer of ink, he protected white space and existing color with a color-resistant paste (noribuse). Through the use of the paste, Mori com-bined standard stencil printing technique with stencil dyeing (katazome). After all colors had been applied, he imparted the rich india ink outlines of the composition using the key impression. When this final ink layer dried, he washed away the paste and allowed the completed print to dry. It is through this innovative technique that Mori blurs delineations of craft and art, past and present.

Yoshitoshi Mori was born in Tokyo in 1898, the first of Yonejiro and Yone Mori’s three sons. The artist was four years old when his father left, forcing him and his mother to move into his grandfather’s home in the heart of the shitamachi. Mori’s grandfather owned Nishigen, a wholesale fish market operating since 1615. Though the family business had thrived for cen-turies, it went bankrupt shortly after the family resettled, and they were uprooted once again. Moving into the home of his aunt, Kin Harada, Mori’s world was filled

with music. Harada taught nagauta, a spe-cific form of kabuki chanting and musical accompaniment. Mori’s mother began to study and teach this traditional art as well, but this period of peace was fleeting.

At the age of eight, Yoshitoshi Mori’s life fell into upheaval. His mother remar-ried and moved to different area of Tokyo. Though she took her second son to her new home, she left the young artist in the care of his aunt and grandfather. Within months of his mother’s departure, Mori’s grandfather succumbed to a darkness that had been building inside him since the bankruptcy. Distraught, Mori’s grandfather committed ritual suicide (harakiri). Following gradua-tion from elementary school, Mori began to spend more time at his mother’s home, pouring over his stepfather’s collection of ukiyo-e prints, from actor portraits to illustrated books. Mori soon entered an apprenticeship at a machine-made paper shop. Mori’s daughter, Eiko Mori, describes his experience:

“For a while, he worked for a wholesale paper store at Atagoshita in Tokyo. His work was to bring 20 piles of paper, which weighed more than 600 kilograms, from Atagoshita to Shinagawa using a large cart. Of course, it was heavy labor for little boy around 13 years old; especially since there was a long slope between two places. He had to unload 15 of those 20 piles of paper at the bottom of the slope, brought five piles of paper on the cart first, and then carried up 15 piles of paper one by one on his shoulder. He was so tired that he took a break at Shiba-Koen on his way. Looking up the sky, he came upon the five-storied pagoda of Zojo temple and gazed at its roofing tiles with demon faces (similar to the Western gargoyle). The faces were all different: smiling, angry, funny, optimistic, crying, etc. Looking at those faces, he felt horribly wretched and thought, ‘How


wonderful it would be if I could do such creative work!’”

In 1914, Mori fled the paper business, took up residence with his mother, and heeded his creative calling. Under the tu-telage of Shuho Yamakawa, Mori gained a formal education in drawing, illustration and painting. He was a quick learner and diligent student and soon became the pupil of Shuho’s father, the esteemed kimono pattern artist Seiho Yamakawa. As Mori learned to dye and draw, he simultaneously studied brush drawing with Koho Goto. During this period, Mori became deeply rooted in Tokyo’s artistic community, mov-ing amidst luminaries of early 20th-century printmaking.

Mori’s explorations in illustration and textile arts were suddenly put on hold in 1918. Drafted into the Akasaka First Infantry Regiment, Mori served in Korea. This sojourn from his work only amplified his desire to be an artist. Following his honorable discharge in 1920, he resumed his studies with Shuho. Mori began explor-ing different artistic mediums, working half days at an oil paint plant to support himself. He entered Kawabata Art School, graduating in 1923 with a major in Japanese-style painting. His career appeared to be on the rise: several of his drawings of had been submitted to and accepted by a rakugo performing group, but this deal was never realized. On September 1, 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake devastated Tokyo. Once again, Mori came face to face with personal tragedy as his aunt’s home burned down. Mori put his artistic career on hold and became a salesman in an effort to support his aunt. Seimu Sakka, the kimono artisan that Mori had apprenticed with during art school, took notice of Mori’s situation and refused to let such talent go to waste. Sakka offered the young artist housing and a job as a kimono dyer.

By 1925, Mori had established himself as an independent artisan, designing and dye-ing fabric for kimono. As his business pros-pered, he quickly became well known in his field. He married and had three daughters: Eiko, Kozue, and Ayako. When the Japan Folk Crafts Museum opened in 1936, Mori became a frequent visitor. The traditional works in this collection inspired Mori and wielded a strong influence on his work. During one of his many visits to the mu-seum, he met Shiko Munakata and Kihei Sasajima, two of the most influential sosaku hanga, or “creative print,” artists. Drawing influence from contemporary Western art movements such as expressionism, this movement emphasized the artist’s involve-ment in every step of printmaking, as well as the creative process itself.

Mori joined the newly organized group of dyeing craftsman known as the Society of Young Leaves (Moegikai) in 1939. The group flourished in the years before the war, but struggled during World War II. Mori lost his apprentices to army service and wartime provisions crashed upon the perceived luxury of kimono fabric dyeing. During this difficult time, Mori helped fellow kimono artisans evade restrictions, find materials, and smooth over sumptuary infractions. The Great Tokyo Air Raid of 1945 dissipated the shadows and structures of Edo-period culture that Mori held dear. The artist had no choice but leave his his-torical home. Following the end of the war in 1945, the Japanese government launched an effort to preserve Japanese art and tradi-tional crafts. Mori was one of many artists and artisans across the country to receive materials necessary to practice his craft. Using the cloth and dye supplied by this government initiative, Mori maintained his success following the war.

While Mori had experimented with printmaking throughout his artistic career,


he began producing monostencil prints on wood and glass sheets in 1951. Upon the urg-ing of Soetsu, a leader of the sosaku hanga movement, Mori began exhibiting his work. His focus had begun to shift from the realm of craft to the freedom of art when he en-tered two prints in the 1957 inaugural Tokyo International Biennial of Prints, a massive event composed of 800 prints by 250 artists spanning 31 countries. Though the Japanese judges tended towards Western-style prints, foreign judges favored the striking creativ-ity and unrestrained expression of sosaku hanga. As one of Mori’s entries vied for first prize in the Japanese Printmaking category, the print sparked a debate that revealed the inherent conflict between tradition and internationalism in contemporary Japanese art. This discussion set the stage for sosaku hanga to become a dominant graphic estab-lishment in Japan and remain an important influence on printmaking today.

Though Mori ultimately did not win, his experience at the Biennial gave him a new confidence in his printed work and he began to exhibit around the world. He formally declared himself a printmaker in 1960, com-pleting some woodblock prints, but primar-ily producing stencil prints (kappazuri). In May of 1962, a leader of the mingei move-ment criticized Mori, insisting that he was becoming more of an artist than an artisan, leading to a heated debate about the differ-ence between craft and art. This argument convinced Mori to leave the crafts division of Kokugakai.

Yoshitoshi Mori’s eldest daughter, Eiko Mori states, “I believe that the hard days of his young life made him strong, and that his dream to be an artist instilled an uncon-ventional taste and Edo-wise humor into his original paintings.” Mori is often referred to as a modern “Child of Edo” (edokko) due to his outstanding ability to revive this time long past. His works recreate the 17th century lowlands of Edo, resurrecting the artisans, actors, and beauties of the float-ing world. Mori’s many hours spent in the Japan Folk Crafts Museum are revealed in the deeply mingei, or folk art, style coursing through his work, informing Mori’s pictorial language and subject matter. Even when he delved into thoroughly canonical tales, such as Genpei, in the 1970’s, Mori’s lines bleed mingei texture and the resilient spirit of Edo. Within its wealth of tradition, Mori’s work is distinctly contemporary. His figures and structures break down into geometric units, hinting to the influence of abstraction and expressionism. He makes full use of white space, accentuating his infinite, wind-ing outlines and emphatic color blocks. Dy-namic and emotional, the art of Yoshitoshi Mori does not quietly wait for its viewer; it shouts out and strikes with awe.


TIMELINE

1898 Born October 31 to Yonejiro and Yone Mori at grandfather’s home in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.1902 Mori’s father leaves, the family moves to grandfather’s home. Nishigen goes bankrupt.1908 Mother marries Taijiro Neto and moves to Kakigara-cho, grandfather dies.1911 Develops interest in the ukiyo-e prints and illustrations, uncle dies.1914 Leaves commercial paper company, moves in with mother.1915 Begins to study with the Yamakawas and brush drawing with Koho Goto.1918 Drafted into the Akasaka First Infantry Regiment, serves in Kwangju, Korea.1920 Honorably discharged from the army, begins to study painting with Shuho.1921 Works at Sakuragi Oil Paint Plant, studies with Koho Goto, enters Kawabata Art School.1923 Great Kanto Earthquake; aunt’s house burns down, Mori focuses on supporting her.1924 Begins working for Seimu Sakka, textile dyer in Waseda.1925 Becomes an independent artisan, joins Association of Kimono Pattern Craftsmen. 1928 Marries Iku Shimizu, prestige as kimono pattern craftsman grows. 1934 First daughter, Eiko Mori, is born.1936 Second daughter, Kozue born, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum opens in Komaba, Tokyo.1939 Joins the Society of Young Leaves. 1940 Meets Munakata and Kihei at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum. 1941 Sucessful Society of Young Leaves exhibition in Ginza before WWII begins.1942 Third daughter, Ayako, born, crackdown on luxury, difficult for kimono dyeing artisans.1944 Wife falls ill, receives special governmental permission to make/sell kimono patterns.1945 Shitamachi devastated by Great Tokyo Air Raid, Mori moves to aunt’s house, war ends. 1947 Enters a kimono in the craft division of the state-sponsored Kokugakai exhibition. 1949 Becomes an associate member of the craft division of Kokugakai.1954 Enters work in the 1954 Japanese Woodblock Academy (Nihon Bangain) exhibition.1957 Competes against Yozo Hamaguchi’s print for first place in the Japanese Printmaking division of the inaugural Tokyo International Biennial of Prints.1960 Officially declares self a printmaker.1962 Leaves Kokugakai craft division following argument.1965 Participates in Japan Art Festival, spanning the Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Between 1965 and 1982, he severs all organizational and group affiliations.1970 Travels to Europe, inspired to depict classic Japanese tales such as Genpei.1984 First Japanese artist to receive an honorary PhD in Art from University of Maryland.1992 Dies on May 29, immediately following one-man show at the Wako Gallery in Tokyo.

SELECT PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

Art Gallery of Greater VictoriaArt Institute of ChicagoBaltimore Museum of ArtBarcelona Art Museum Berlin National MuseumBritish Museum Brooklyn MuseumCincinnati Art MuseumCleveland Museum of ArtDe Young Museum, San FranciscoHarvard University Art MuseumsHonolulu Academy of Art

Japan Folk Crafts Museum, TokyoLibrary of CongressLos Angeles County Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of ArtMinnesota Museum of Art, St. PaulMuscarelle Museum of Art, WilliamsburgMuseum of Fine Arts Boston Museum of Modern Art, New YorkNational Museum of Modern Art, TokyoPhiladelphia Museum of ArtPortland Art MuseumYale University Art Gallery

KAPPAZURI


Echigoya

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1958Signature: Y. Mori Seal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20.25” x 16.5”Ref. # JP1-39359


Portable Shrine

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1958Edition: A.P.Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 27.5” x 23.5”Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-37550


Movable Festival Shrine

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1958Edition: 1/1Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 30” x 19.75”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37541


Festival Carriage

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1958Edition: 1/1Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 29” x 21”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37543


Shinto Festival Procession

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1959Edition: 10/50Signature: Yoshitoshi Mori, Mori banSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 22” x 28.5”Ref. # JP2-39387


Shitamachi Workers

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1959Edition: 1/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 21.75” x 20.25”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37536


Construction Laborers

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1959Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 23” x 22.25”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37537


Clown

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1959Edition: A.P.Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshiSize: 26” x 21.75”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37559


Kamuro (A Young Girl)

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1960Edition: A.P.Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 17” x 15”Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JP2-19741


Two Gods of War

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1965Edition: A.P. III/XSignature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20.25” x 27”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37540


Goddess

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1965Edition: 1/30Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 25.25” x 19.5”Ref. # JP2-39415


Samurai and Wicked Woman

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1965Edition: 2/30Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 30.25” x 22.5”Ref. # JP2-39416


Archer

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1964Edition: 28/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 23” x 18”Ref. # JP2-39406


Shibaraku

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1967Edition: 14/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 35” x 27”Ref. # JP2-39419


The Life of Yoshitsune

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1972Edition: 6/50 Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20.25” x 27” Ref. # JP2-39412


The Canal

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1973Edition: 20/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 16.5” x 27”Ref. # JP110329


Kagura

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1971Edition: 5/50 Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 23” x 28”Ref. # JP2-39389


Nasu no Yoichi

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1971 Edition: 46/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 27” x 23.5”Ref. # JP1-20387


A Rambunctious Monk

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1972Edition: 23/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 20” x 26.25”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37539


Benkei Battling Ushiwakamaru on Gojo Bridge

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1973Edition: A.P.Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 35.5” x 28.5”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37564


Carpenters

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1973Edition: 21/70Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshi Size: 20” x 14”Ref. # JP110334


Potter



Lantern Maker

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1973Edition: 12/70Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 13.5” x 20.5”Ref. # JP1-39354


Intimacy Black and White

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1975Edition: 8/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20” x 27”Ref. # JP2-39404


Eerie Night

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1975Edition: 4/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 17.5” x 23”Ref. # JP2-25429


Sansho

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1976Edition: 30/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 12.25” x 27”Ref. # JP1-39370


Tsuchigumo (Demon Spider)

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1977Edition: 1/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshiSize: 35” x 27”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37560


Shuriken

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1977Edition: 1/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 27” x 20.25”Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-37558


Sukeroku

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1977Edition: 33/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 27.5” x 20.25”Ref. # JP110336


A Teahouse Maid

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1978Edition: 19/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 27” x 20.5”Ref. # JP2-39396


Red Lantern

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1977Edition: 30/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 20” x 27”Ref. # JP2-39414


Danmari

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1977Edition: 19/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20” x 27”Ref. #JP2-39411


Comb

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1978Edition: 1/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 23” x 17.25”Ref. # JP2-39405


Afternoon Nap



Devil’s Drum

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1979Edition: H.C.Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 9” x 12”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19738


Japanese Flute

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1979Edition: 2/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 17.25” x 13.5”Ref. # JP1-39345


Sakayaki (Top Knot)

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1980Edition: 26/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 21” x 13.75”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JP2-19829

(Right) Drawing from E. Mori CollectionSigned Y. M. Sealed Yoshitoshi. 11.5” x 9.” Sold with print.


Why Don’t You Wait Here?

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1981Edition: 18/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 24” x 17”Ref. # JP1-39363


Myoo King: Flaming Halo

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1981Edition: 2/3Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshitoshiSize: 44” x 29”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. #: JPR2-37566


Puzzle

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1981Edition: 1/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20” x 13.75”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19772


Have a Look at My Back



Imagine

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1981Edition: 5/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20.5” x 13.5”Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-19758


Three Samurai

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1981Edition: A.P.Signature: Yoshitoshi Mori Seal: Yoshitoshi Size: 21.25” x 27”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19847


Shamisen Lessons (Black)



Dancing with White Fan

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1982Edition: 21/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 20” x 13.5”Ref. # JP1-39352


Sukeroku

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1985Edition: 1/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 24” x 16”Ref. # JP1-39362


Nude Next to Flower Vase

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1986Edition: 3/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshiSize: 20.25” x 13.75”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19761


One Summer Morning

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1985Edition: 9/70Signature: Y. MoriSeal: YoshiSize: 18” x 13.5”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19768


Taira no Tomomori

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1985Edition: 1/1Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: YoshiSize: 44” x 28.5”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. #: JPR2-37562


Black Shibaraku



Black Hair

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1989Edition: 21/50Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 19.5” x 24.5”Ref. # JP110327


Hidaka River: Kiyohime Turning into a Snake

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1986Edition: 6/50Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 18.75” x 27”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19845

(Right) Drawing from E. Mori CollectionSigned Y. M. Sealed Yoshitoshi. 5.25” x 7.” Sold with print.


Secret Horse

Medium: KappazuriDate: 1989Edition: 27/70Signature: Y. Mori Seal: Yoshi Size: 10.75” x 12”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-19775

MOKU HANGA, STENCIL,

PAINTINGS, SKETCHBOOK


Shibaraku

Medium: Woodblock PrintDate: 1974Edition: 17/100Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 23.25” x 17.5”Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-19821


Shibaraku

Medium: Woodblock PrintDate: 1972Edition: 87/100Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 21.25” x 29.5”Ref. # JP2-19850


Inland Sea Battle of Heike and Genji

Series: The Tale of the Heike Medium: Stencil for kappazuriDate: c. 1973Size: 47” x 63”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. #JPR2-27356


Five Women in the Yoshiwara

Medium: Painting on two panel screenDate: 1985Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshi Size: 24” x 36”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-27359


Ofune

Medium: PaintingDate: 1984Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 19” x 13”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37530


The Story of Yaoya Oshichi

Medium: PaintingDate: 1984Signature: Yoshi, Y. MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 16.5” x 12.25”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-37534


Sweet Night

Medium: PaintingDate: 1984Signature: Yoshitoshi MoriSeal: Yoshitoshi Size: 24” x 38.25”Provenance: E. Mori Ref. # JPR2-27360


Mountains and Sea

Medium: PaintingDate: 1979Signature: Y. MoriSeal: Yoshi Size: 12” x 16.5”Ref. # JP1-39358


Lovers

Medium: Painting on shikishi boardSignature: Y. MoriSize: 9.5” x 10.5”Ref. # JP1-39344

SHUTEN DOJI PAINTINGS

Mori renders the classic tale of Shuten Doji in storybook form through the following paintings on paper. Composed of 18 works and a title page (pictured left), these dynamic illustrations range in size, from 9.25” x 8.5” to 19” x 9.5”. Never before seen in the United States, this rare collection presents a traditional Japanese narrative in Mori’s vital, graphic style.

Date: c. 1970Signature: Mori Yoshitoshi on title page, Y.M and/or Yoshi on each illustrationSeal: Yoshitoshi on each illustrationProvenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-41904


Long, long ago…There was once an evil demon called Shuten Doji (literally “Heavy Drinker”) who lived in Mt. Oe in Tango (northern Kyoto). Each night, he and his wicked fellows attacked the city and kidnapped beautiful princesses. The emperor was in an agony of despair, and asked the famous warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu to save the stolen princesses. Yorimitsu selected five brave soldiers to ac-company him and set off to Mt. Oe. On their way, they stopped at an old shrine to pray for victory and divine protection.


At a small hatch, Yorimistu and his company came upon three old men. The elders gave the warriors special sake and war helmets. While the sake was a good medicine for human beings, it was a ter-rible poison for evil demons. Yorimitsu and his soldiers were pleased to receive such marvelous items and be-lieved that the three old men must be gods. They continued their journey deep into the mountain. Finally, they reached a grotto, the lair of Shuten Doji and his fellow demons.


When Shuten Doji noticed his uninvited visitors, Yorimitsu quickly claimed that he and his men were yamabushi (itinerant priests) who had lost their way in the mountain. He begged for lodging for the night. Yorimitsu placed the special sake in front of Shuten Doji. He was so pleased by this offer-ing that he let Yorimitsu and his soldiers enter the grotto. Shuten Doji and his demons drank the sake until they became very drunk. They danced, sang, and fell into a deep sleep, unaware of Yorimitsu’s deception.


Dressed in armor and the special helmets, Yorimitsu and his soldiers fought the poisoned demons. Under the protection of the gods, they slayed Shuten Doji and his demons and rescued the kidnapped princesses.

Freed from the terror of Shuten Doji, the peo-ple of Kyoto celebrated the return of the war-riors and the princesses. The emperor rewarded Yorimitsu and his men handsomely for restoring peace in Kyoto.

THE HELL SERIES SKETCHBOOK

Mori portrays ten Buddhist hell scenes in brilliant color, as well as four drawings in black-and-white, through the 14 pages of this excep-tionally rare sketchbook. Measuring 13.75 x 10 inches, the collection presents a vivid world of stark skel-etons, towering oni (demons), and unlucky victims.

Date: 1966Provenance: E. MoriRef. # JPR2-37881




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RONIN GALLERY

Chairman: Herbert LibertsonPresident: David LibertsonExecutive Director: Roni NeuerDirector: Tomomi SekiGallery Associate: Travis SuzakaResearch Assistant: Madison FolksGallery Assistant: Runting SongGallery Assistant: Akane Yanagisawa

Abe, Setsuko, Haruo Matsukoa, Masako Hayano, and Paul Zito. Mori Yoshitoshi Kappa-ban. S.l.: Organizing Committee for the Mori Yoshitoshi Exhibition, 1985. Print.Merritt, Helen, and Nanako Yamada. Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1992. Print.Smith, Lawrence. Contemporary Japanese Prints: Symbols of a Society in Transition. New York: Harper & Row, 1985. Print.

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Photographs of Yoshitoshi Mori courtesy of Eiko Mori.

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Yoshitoshi Mori (1898 - 1992)