Description
Les Perles, Mandchoukuo. Self-published in 1950. Paper size: 47 x 35.8 cm. Carver: Kentaro Maeda, printers: Honda, Ogawa, Onodera & Uchikawa. Printed on heavy watermarked paper. Stamp verso: 291/350 (though Miles remarks that fewer than 125 impressions of this edition were made)
Condition
Fine impression, very good colours, good condition: clearly some expert restauration has been done to the margins apparently some tape residue has been removed, after which these spots have been reinforced. All this is hardly visible from the front some printer's creases in the margins. To quote Richard Miles:"More than 300 individual impressions of nearly 60 blocks, carved on both sides, were needed to create this ultimate technical tour de force of 20th century art." The resulting effect, a.o. of the transparent veil with fine silver embroideries, must be seen to be believed.
