Three engravings, from a set (consecutively numbered in Roman numerals), but separate though loosely framed together, margins for the most part tightly trimmed, each measuring roughly 6 1/2" by 5 1/2". The scenes of the old towns are named in Latin, German, and French. Judging from the architecture, the towers and buildings are certainly from the northern part of Europe, most likely Germany. Artist is undetermined at this point. Some research could reveal that information...

Rare woodcut of Imperator Julius Caesar seated in front of the city of Rome.
Caesar is represented by a contemporary ruler wearing a crown and heavy armour...

Original etching by Jacques Callot LE MASSACRE DES INNOCENTS printed in 1622 in Nancy. Lieure catalog number 427, second state of two, good size margins, excellent impression of this important print. Small crown watermark on the paper, slight darkening in the corners where the print was mounted, overall in excellent condition. Plate size 134x110mm, paper size 157x127mm.

Etching, tightly trimmed to round shape ("tondo"), 8 5/8" by 8 5/8" (12" diameter in quality round, gold modern framing by Los Angeles framers Jerry Solomon Enterprises Inc.), the title "The Satyr Family", dating to 1657. This is a fine 17th century etching by a talented Old Master...

Nicolas Mignard, French, 1606-1668, "Odysseus and the Sirens". Etching by Nicolas Mignard after the frescoes of Annibale Carracci depicting scenes from Homer's Odyssey. Plate size 10 1/4 x 17 3/4, published by Pierre Mariette in 1637, with lettering in Latin below the image. Printed on a very early watermarked laid type paper.

PAIR of copper engravings by the early Flemish artist JOHANNES STRADANUS (also known as Johannes van der Straet), born 1523, died 1605. Each measures 8" by 10 1/2" (16" by 18" in identical silvery contemporary frames). One image is titled "Staphae, Sive Stapedes", the other "Ser Sive Sericus Vermis". These works date to about the year 1590 or 1591. They are numbered 8 and 9, part of Nova Reperta, a series of 20 images that illustrated important discoveries of the Renaissance...

Unusually large detailed engraving, 31 1/4" by 20 1/8", laid down on board, of Christ coming down off the Cross, this example engraved by Nicolaus Dorigny (1657-1776), and possibly after Daniel Ricciarelli (1509-1566), in turn after a painting by Raphael. The work is dated 1720 at lower left. There's a lot of text in Latin at bottom, and a close look reveals the names of the two above artists...

From our European Collection, a very good 17th century copper plate engraving, most likely English circa 1650-1700, depicting a Chinese official accompanied by his entourage, with subjects kowtowing in the foreground and a crowd of spectators to the rear.

Size and Condition: 7 inches by 5 1/4 inches, very well preserved with only slight creasing.

Etching on thin laid paper, 3 3/4" by 2 3/4" (14" by 11" in modern day frame), from the series "Beggars and other low life", by the noted early Dutch artist JAN GILLISZ VAN VLIET (1605-1668). The etching is one image out of a series of ten or eleven similar views by the artist, who, despite information to the contrary, was not strictly a pupil/student of Rembrandt...

It has taken some research on the net to determine that this unusual item is apparently an early 20th century facsimile of an incunabula (pre 1500 printing) leaf from a book. JOHANN GRUENINGER (1455-1533) was a major, prolific early German printer and publisher, who developed an innovative method for illustrating books. This sheet on rag type paper measures 11" by 8". There is text in old Latin, and an image of the Trojan Horse outside of Troy, the soldiers entering his side...

Woodcut with the martyrdom of Apollinaris outside the city walls of Ravenna.
Taken from a book with legends of the saints in Latin. Apollinaris was considered the founder and bishop of the Christian community of Ravenna. According to the legend, Apollinaris was apprehended at the gates of the city and brutally beaten to death.
Believers venerate Apollinaris a helper against epilepsy.
The text shows different font sizes as well as red text sections and initials...

Johannes Wierix, Flemish, 1549-1618, "The Betrayal of Christ, Agony in the Garden". This is a rare early engraving by Johannes Wierix after Pieter van der Borcht, printed with an image on both sides of the sheet. Each image measures 4 1/2 x 2 7/ 8 inches, 1583, a good impression on a very early laid type paper, published by 16th century book printer and publisher Christophe Plantin. One side of the sheet shows the 'Betrayal of Christ', the other 'Agony in the Garden'.

Original etching RICIULINA AND METZETIN by Jacques Callot printed in 1621 from the series BALLI DI SFESSANIA. Series depict one of the most delightful festivals of Commedia dell’Arte based on fertility dances held in the Tuscan village of Sfessania. Pairs of popular entertainers are framed against the scenes of a fairground. One print from the series of 24 etchings, Lieure catalog number 386, first state of two, on laid paper, cut to the plate. Paper size 72x93mm...

Double-page with woodcuts from Hartmann Schedel's Nuremberg Chronicle.
The principal woodcut refers to the 5th Council of Constantinople, held 879/880 AD...

Etienne Picart, French, 1632-1721, engraving, "The virgin, St. John and the Christ Child", image sizE: 15 x 18 3/4 inches, LeBl 5 and 4, Provenance: J.W. Randall collection #2490, Picart was a student of Francois de Poilly and is also know as "Le Romain"

Jacques Callot, French, 1592-1635, Engraving, "Scenes From the New Testament", image size: 2 5/8 x 3 7/16 inches, 1635, inscribed: "Jesus adductam ad se mulierem adulteram absoluit."

This note discusses Haku Maki's Poem 70–14. Poem from the Manyoshu, and the sources of the kanji he used to create the print. The note was written in August 2019 by Robert Craft.

This Guest Note was written by Bob Craft in December 2018. It discusses Haku Maki's use of ancient calligraphy in Poem 69-47.

This note was written by Robert Craft and discusses Maki's use of an archaic form of Chinese script called seal script.

The size of Book: 12 1/4" x 9 1/2" x 1 1/8", Weight of Book 3 Lbs. Louis Icart, "The Complete Etchings". West Chester, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1990. First edition hardcover with dust jacket. 245 pp...

The Heart Sutra with Taro by Mayumi Oda. The paper is green with a sutra printed. A sutra is a formula or rule for life. A tree with large leaves and a frog are outlined by a silver spray. It measures 38.5" wide 12.25" tall. 28/50.

Japanese woodblock print by the artist Kazuhiko Sanmonji entitled "Zen Garden of Ryoanji". Printed in gray, brown and yellow ink on paper. Signed and titled in pencil. Dated 1999. Artist proof.

Dimensions: Size of paper: 4 3/4" high x 13 1/2" long. Size of art including signature: 3" high x 12 1/2" long

Green print of Earthship by Mayumi Oda. Print 16/100. A woman sails in a ship with an owl atop her head and a boat full of vegetables. Below the ship, in the ocean a sea turtle and a whale swim by. The sun smiles down upon the woman in the ship. It measures 11.75" wide 19" tall.

A large contemporary print by artist Tanaka Ryohei. Scene of a garden gate opening to the rising morning sun, a green grasshopper crawling along the latch. Signed in pencil, numbered 69/100 in it series, dated 2001.

Dimensions: 26" x 26 1/2" H (entire frame) 15" x 15 1/4" H (artwork only)

A print by the Japanese print maker Haku Maki, 1924-2000. He began in a career as a kamikaze pilot during world war 2. The surrender by Japan saved his life. He became a teacher and learned print making. His prints are unusual as they start with a woodblock which is carved then pressed with cement. When the cement is dried, it is carved further. A wet paper is placed on the woodblock and left to dry. The resulting image has a wonderful texture and unique embossed finish. He often printed...

Rare and complete book with text and prints by famous late Japanese print maker Tokio Miyashita 宮下登喜雄 (1930-2011). Text is in Japanese. Title: Boku no Musashino [ぼくの武蔵野] (My Musashino) Publisher: Gohachi Shobō (吾八書房) Year: 1993 Edition: 63/170 Number of prints: 5 (plus small one on the cover) Technique: all etchings Number of pages: 60 Book comes in original sleeve with printed title. A copy of this portfolio is in the National Diet Library, Tokyo. Co...

Rare and complete book with text and prints by famous late Japanese print maker Tokio Miyashita 宮下登喜雄 (1930-2011). Text is in Japanese. Title: Tokai no yūshū: Hanga to zuisō [都会の憂愁 : 版画と随想] (Melancholy of the City: Prints and Thoughts). Publisher: Gohachi Shobō (吾八書房) Year: 1998 Edition: 136/170 Number of prints: 5 Techniques: woodblock (one is combination woodblock and etching, Miyashita's signature technique) Number of pages: unpaginated (about...

Toko Shinoda (b. 1913)
Title: Autumnal
Size: Approximately 28.5 x 20.5 inches.
Date: 1990s-2000s.
Edition: 16/38.
Medium: Lithograph with brushstrokes.
Condition: A very slight difference in the tone of the white outside the image area. The print was once matted.

"Barn and House" framed etching and aquatint print by Tanaka Ryohei. The Japanese artist is best known for his intricate prints of rural Japan. This print is most striking in it's simplified, dramatic composition. The roofs are pictured from the side against the black sky. Signed in pencil and numbered 60 of 120. Dated 1993.

Framed: 24" high x 29" wide

Size of artwork: 18" high x 14" wide

Paul Binnie
Snow at Asakusa (Shitamachi Snow, Moon, and Flower) Date: 1998
Size: Oban. Approximately 16.5 x 11.5 inches.
Edition no.: 36/100
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Circle in lower foreground is fiber within the paper.

Master Artist Jean Volang, was born in Vietnam in 1921 and began his painting at an early age when he was taught by a French born teacher who later told him to paint in France, especially Paris where he could make his mark in the world. Never forgetting his roots of his beloved Vietnam, his most celebrated works are of his memories there. This is one of his most celebrated lithographs. Signed and an ARTIST PROOF. 29” x 24”

Charming original print by the famed artitst Mayumi Oda. Entitled "Meet the Lord of Obstacle II" and numbered 27 in the series. The image depicts a green goddess (perhaps Green Tara, the Goddess of Compassion) in tantric embrace with a white Ganesha, the Hindu Remover of Obstacles. The Sun and Moon inhabit the sky at the same time above them. 1998. Signed by Mayumi Oda in pencil. Framed. Total size in frame: 29 1/4" high x 23 1/4" wide. Size of art: 17 1/2" high x 10 3/4" wide.

In the last year of Maki’s life, Daniel Tretiak tells us, he was ill but continued to work. He did lithographs on shikishi board, which was a hard board covered in white rice paper. The back was yellow with a small design in gold and the whole board is gold-edged. Poem 8B is one of those works done in the 1999-2000 period.

Maki’s Big Reds—an appellation which my late husband Daniel Tretiak gave to Maki’s large, red designs (usually kanji) on black backgrounds—are well-represented by this ox, a subject Maki did many times. An artist’s proof (A.P.), it measures 16in x 21.75in.

A fabulous lithograph signed and numbered depicting a view of a harbor scene. . Othon Friesz was born in Le Havre, the son of a long line of shipbuilders and sea captains. He went to school in his native city. It was while he was at the Lycée that he met his lifelong friend Raoul Dufy. He and Dufy studied at the Le Havre School of Fine Arts in 1895-96 and then went to Paris together for further study. In Paris, Friesz met Henri Matisse, Albert Marquet, and Georges Rouault. Like them, he rebelle...

Clifton Karhu (1927-2007)
Tominaga-cho, Gion
Date: 1993.
Edition: 55/75.
Size: 24.25 x 17.75 inches.
Signed, titled, numbered, and dated in pencil by the artist in lower margin.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Slight toning in margin due to former matte. Left and right outside margins each have a dot of foxing. Print has never been adhered to a backing.