Unsigned / Unknown Artist (1600 - Present)

There are some works that arrive in our collection by unknown artists, while there are others that may lack a signature, but can be attributed to a known artist after careful research. Certain genres, such as Meiji-period photography and shunga (erotic prints) frequently fall into this second category. It is difficult to identify early photographers because photography studios did not include credits in souvenir albums, many of which featured numerous photographers. In addition, photographers often bought the negatives of others and reproduced them as a part of their own portfolio. When attempting to make attributions, photographs with no credits are compared to the few that have attributions. Turning to shunga, nearly all ukiyo-e artists produced erotic prints, yet these prints are often unsigned to avoid trouble with the law. For these works, attributions are generally made based on stylistic analysis.

Posthumous Editions & Reprints

Some print designs were so beloved that they remained popular long after their original printing. From delicate surimono to the iconic landscapes of Hiroshige and Hokusai, famous designs reemerged from the blocks of Meiji-period printers and continue to be printed by contemporary publishers today.

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Availability

  • Available
  • Archive

Price

68040

Artist

  • Choki
  • Eisen
  • Eishi
  • Eizan
  • Gakutei
  • Harunobu
  • Hasui
  • Hiroshige
  • Hokkei
  • Hokusai
  • Kiyonaga
  • Koitsu
  • Koryusai
  • Koson
  • Kunisada
  • Murakami, Sadao
  • Okumura, Toshinobu
  • Sharaku
  • Shinsai
  • Chigusa, Soun
  • Sozan
  • Takehisa, Yumeji
  • Toyohiro
  • Utamaro
  • Kawano, Kaoru
  • Unsigned / Unknown Artist
  • Wu, Zuoren
  • Yoshida, Hiroshi
  • Yoshida, Toshi

Subject

  • Actors & Theater
  • Animals & Fish
  • Birds
  • Calligraphy
  • Children
  • Flowers & Gardens
  • Ghosts & Demons (yokai)
  • Insects
  • Legends & History
  • Nature
  • Portraits
  • Rituals & Beliefs
  • Surimono

Period

  • 1868 - 1912 (Meiji)
  • 1912 - 1945 (Taisho & Early Showa)
  • 1989 - Today (Heisei & Reiwa)

Medium

  • Prints
  • Woodblock Print

Size

  • Small (ie. Chuban)
  • Medium (ie. Oban)

10 Products

Crane and Ebisu

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Crane and Ebisu

JPR-207842

SOLD

Story of Confucius (in Chinese)

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Story of Confucius (in Chinese)

JPR-207911

SOLD

18th Kabuki (Danjuro)

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

18th Kabuki (Danjuro)

JPR-207843

SOLD

Daruma

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Daruma

JPR-207840

SOLD

Danjuro

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Danjuro

JPR-207839

SOLD

Yamato Takeru no Mikoto

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Yamato Takeru no Mikoto

JPR-207838

SOLD

Dragon

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Dragon

JPR-207837

SOLD

Kite Flying

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Kite Flying

JPR5864

$680.00
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Pick up in Store
Old Man

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Old Man

JP-110554

$40.00
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Pick up in Store
Dragonfly

Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Dragonfly

JP1-51745

SOLD