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.
Pre Ukiyo-e | Japanese Buddhist Prints
The roots of woodblock printmaking in Japan intertwine with Buddhism. Religious teachings and printed images traveled east through China and Korea before arriving in Japan in the 8th century. The medium gained popularity through small printed images whose carving, inking and printing served as sacred acts. These early prints spanned a vast range of Buddhist imagery, from lines of sutras to images of deities. Today, these works are exceptionally rare. Browse our collection of Japanese Buddhist woodblock prints below.
4 Products
Unsigned / Unknown Artist
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo: Devotion to the Law of the Lotus Sutra, Nose Family
JPR1-63361
Unsigned / Unknown Artist
Seven Hardships Destroyed, Seven Blessings Bestowed
JPR1-63372