The Chinese and Asian Art Forum. For Fans, Collectors and Dealers.
Basic Rules For the BidAmount Asian Art Forum: Talk about whatever you want. You can even discuss and offer things that are for sale if they are authentic. Maximum image file size per post is 2 MB. Images of 700pxl x 700pxl are optimal if saved at a medium resolution. Be respectful of others and enjoy yourself. Click the YouTube link for a brief tutorial on using the forum. You can also EMBED Videos by cutting and pasting from You-Tube, Vimeo etc.
NOTE: To post an item or add a new post, click open the category title from the FORUM LIST, and CLICK the Blue ADD TOPIC button.
I have been thinking about the price of Japanese woodblock prints, which seem to be going up lately, and I am wondering why these seem to be more highly valued at times than paintings? With a painting, there is only one, but with a print, there are multiples. Why would one of a multiple be more valued than a one of a kind object, in instances where both are of a similar age and done by reputable artists? It seems like the painting should be looked at as being much more rare than the print, because it is one of a kind, and should have a much higher value. About 1000 of Hokusai's great wave were apparently done initially, and there seem to be around 100 known to have survived. They seem to go for around $250,000-500,000 each these days. $250,000 500,000 multiplied by 100 copies would be 25,000,000 - 50,000,000, so that would be the general collective value of the known existing original copies of the image. Very few paintings reach that level of value in the tens of millions, or even in the hundreds of thousands. I just find the whole thing very interesting and I am curious to learn from others about this topic because I do appreciate both prints and paintings, but they sometimes confuse me on various levels, including how to assess them for value. John
John,
I believe there are several reasons that large valuations are applied to certain Japanese prints. You mention Hokusai’s Great Wave which is probably the most iconic Japanese print in the marketplace. It’s striking design was recognized back in the 19th century in the West as exceptional and these types of prints had an influence on many western artists of the time (Van Gogh, Whistler, Matisse).
Hokusai’s main artistic output was in the print medium so there is not much else to collect. Time as you pointed out as whittled down the number of existing prints in acceptable condition. While the iconic design has spread across the globe due to electronic transmission of the image in all types of media. There is a much larger population of collectors on the lookout for this print than your estimated 100 existing prints so the price goes up and up.
What I think is actually amazing is that one can buy other Hokusai prints on different subjects for less than a couple of thousand dollars. Remember he is a world class artist still available to small time collectors.
This is one of my most favorite topics… Japanese prints. My breath is still taken away at the sight of near infinite collection of pristine examples of Ukiyo-e held at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.
What makes it valuable?
Early works by masters such as Utamaro, Hokusai, and Hiroshige were the inspiration of the impressionist art movement - that’s right! Van Ghoph was a fanatical collector and even depicted Japanese prints into his art work.
How was it inspirational? The literal translation of Ukiyo-e is ‘pictures of the floating world’. Considered a commoners art, the depictions captured the beauty of everyday life, especially through its use of color and imagery that captured textures and simply beauty of the natural world. So, they have historical cultural importance.
What also makes Japanese prints valuable is the process woodblock printing itself is an art in of itself. An artist creates the depiction, a wood carver carved a ‘key block’ for the black lines, and an individual wood block for each color to be applied. The ‘washi’ mulberry bark paper is carefully made to absorb the inks and resist wear and bleeding of color. The paper is laid on top of a color block, and an artist presses the paper onto the block with wooden spatulas to apply the ink. And while 1000 editions might be created, each often have unique variations in the color tones which can dramatically effect the visual impact.
For example, look up Hokusai’s Red Fuji and compare to Pink Fuji, both of which have sold in excess of $1 million.
20th c. prints of the Shin Hanga (new print) movement are also achieving record sales, some in excess of $100,000 (HASUI Kawasaki). The reason for these amazing results are likely due to the amazing aesthetic beauty which I’ve never heard a single person question, along with capturing the spirit of Ukiyo-e’s ‘floating world’ combined with cross cultural appeal.
As William pointed out, the relatively inexpensive price one pays for such a beautiful piece of art has led to global appreciation and demand, resulting in a massive increase in value of rare prints in exceptional condition.
I once saw a Victorian painting with the artist's signature, with R.A. behind his name decorating the wall of a Popeye's chicken, it was a genuine old painting. Tbere have been many painters througbout history and most did not achieve any real success.
@johnshoe John, let me add that the vast majority of prints done in high number have low value...$50-100. Take for instance Kunisada, the most prolific woodblock artist of the 19th c. Most of his of his work is mediocre at best, and only in cases of unusual subject matter and excellent condition/color does his works achieve values above $500.
I also wonder if the fact that more than one of the prints exist, therefore more people have the potential to profit from owning one of them, could itself drive up the price - a sort of gold rush effect? But as Tim pointed out, in most cases the woodblock prints are reasonably priced, so it is only for a certain class of print that the prices get up there.
@greeno107 My fried chicken days are long behind me, a heart stint later, but I miss spicey fried.
Japanese prints can be a real minefield if you don't know what you're getting into. A lot of the Hiroshiges and Hokusais floating around are later "restrikes" - carved from new woodblocks after the artist died, and you can't compare those to the old ones, although it takes some practice learning to see what's real and what isn't (I have made my share of misdates, but fortunately they didn't cost me much!) Then, you can have supposedly reputable dealers (I am thinking of a famous firm I shall not name) which sell pictures of often rather low quality - late impressions, faded color - for huge sums of money. But if you have someone you trust, who's willing to show you the actual differences in quality among prints, if you study copies on-line (which can teach you quite a lot) you can find some spectacularly beautiful pieces, even if they're not from a particularly famous series like Hokusai's 36 views of Mt Fuji, unaffordable to most mortals. So much goes into each print, there are so many factors involved (how early is the print in a particular print run - best if you can see strong woodgrain; how brilliant is the color; how large are the margins; what is the overall condition - centerfold, stains, fading etc) that prints even of the same design vary greatly - and I am thinking of authentic prints now, not of the restrikes (which are valueless and should be avoided, IMO).
All of these factors go into determining how much a print costs - and then, of course, there are some price-gouging dealers out there.
For example, if you look at these, you might see the difference. The one on the left is a late printing, the one on the right is much earlier. The color is fresher and better and the lines solid. To me, the other seems devoid of color and life. But the second was priced, as I noticed, at nearly twice the cost of the better one on the left. Different dealers!
@saki2015 I have some that I would appreciate knowing more about in terms of age. quality, etc. Are you able to offer some opinions if I post a few photos in this thread or even if perhaps we start a new thread with that as the specific topic others could join in posting and assessing as a group. John
@johnshoe I could try, but I am not an expert; I just collect some. I'd be really interested to look at them, though, and I hope other people would be too? Because Japanese woodblocks are so fascinating and can be so beautiful.
OH, and, BTW, the way the prints came out here is exactly the reverse of what I intended. The one on the LEFT is the good one. I'm so horribly sorry for the error.
Latest Post: This dish with dragons has issues but I'm curious about 2x 5 clawed dragons chased by 2x 3 clawed dragons. Our newest member: Mae Naylor Recent Posts Unread Posts
Thanks for visiting "The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art"
If you sell on eBay, or have a shop feel free to post images and descriptions and links.
Check back often for discussion about the latest news in the Chinese art and antique world. Also find out about the latest Asian art auctions at Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams and Tajans.
Auction results for: fine porcelain, ceramics, bronze, jade, textiles and scholar's objects. As well as Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian cultures.
Thank you,
Peter Combs
Topics and categories on The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art
Kangxi vases, Kangxi dishes and chargers, Kangxi ritual pieces, Kangxi scholar's objects, Qianlong famille rose, Qianlong enamels, Qianlong period paintings, Qianlong Emporer's court, Fine porcelain of the Yongzheng period. Chinese imperial art, Ming porcelain including Jiajing, Wanli, Xuande, Chenghua as well as Ming jades and bronzes.
Join the BidAmount Chinese and Asian art discussion board and forum today
The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art
A free Asian art discussion board and Asian art message board for dealers and collectors of art and antiques from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Linked to all of the BidAmount Asian art reference areas, with videos from plcombs Asian Art and Bidamount on YouTube. Sign up also for the weekly BidAmount newsletter and catalogs of active eBay listing of Chinese porcelain, bronze, jades, robes, and paintings.
The art of calligraphy - and for the ancient Chinese it certainly was an art - aimed to demonstrate superior control and skill using brush and ink. Calligraphy established itself as one of the major Chinese art forms during the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), and for two millennia after, all educated men were expected to be proficient at it.
The Museum’s collections of Asian art span nearly five millennia and encompass the cultures of China, the Himalayas, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. In 2007, the Museum launched an initiative to create dedicated galleries for the collection, beginning with a gallery for the arts of Korea ...
Chinese art is full of symbolism, in that artists typically seek to depict some aspect of a totality of which they are intuitively aware.
China Online Museum is the finest online museum of Chinese art. It features Chinese calligraphy, painting, ceramics, bronzes, carving, and other artworks.
Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. Overview Upcoming auctions Contacts Auction results ... Christie’s sales of Chinese ceramics and works of art showcase centuries of Chinese history. Held throughout the year in London, New York, Paris and Hong Kong, they attract a wide audience of collectors and connoisseurs vying for pieces as diverse as ...
Explore Asian Art Week. Contact the Specialist Department. Chinese Paintings ... Senior Specialist, Head of Sale. [email protected]. Tel:+1 212 641 5760. Bid in-person or online for the upcoming auction:Fine Chinese Paintings on 10 September 2019 at New York. Bid in-person or online for the upcoming auction:Fine Chinese Paintings on 10 ...
Discover an abundance of must-see art from all corners of a vast continent at Christie’s NY Asian Art Week. From contemporary classical and Chinese paintings to works with exemplary provenance from the Art Institute of Chicago, our Rockefeller Paza galleries will be full of ancient treasures and contemporary masterworks in a salute to the vibrant arts of Asia.
Sold to benefit The Art Institute of Chicago’s Asian Art Acquisition Fund, the sale features 84 lots with a focus on Ming and Qing porcelains, and offers a rare insight into the taste for collecting Chinese ceramics and works of art in the Midwest from the end of the 19th century through the 1980s. Highlights include two Wanli wucai garlic-head vases, a Qianlong mark and period, blue and ...
Specialist, Chinese Paintings, Christie's London Dr Malcolm McNeill is a Specialist in Chinese Paintings at Christie’s, based in London. He previously worked as an assistant curator of the Chinese collections and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, as a researcher at the British Museum, and as a translator and tour guide at the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
The Christie's Education 2020 Conference: The Chinese Art Market 18 Jun 2019 Christie’s Education is delighted to announce our first international academic conference in Asia which will take place in Hong Kong from 26-27 November 2020 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will run in parallel with Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auctions.
The summer Chinese Art sale in Hong Kong will feature works of art from several private collections, including Qing porcelains and textile from the collection of the legendary Chinese art dealer A. W. Bahr (1877–1959), fine gilt bronze Buddhist sculptures from an old Hong Kong collection, an East Asian collection of Qing dynasty wine cups and jades, and a Japanese collection of Song ceramics ...
Sotheby's Chinese Works of Art Department holds two auctions each year in London, New York, Hong Kong and Paris.
Chinese Art - View Auction details, bid, buy and collect the various artworks at Sothebys Art Auction House.
With more than 340 Chinese works of art dating from the Neolithic to the Republic periods, highlights of this sale include a selection of Qing Imperial monochromes from the collection of Arnold and Blema Steinberg, early ceramics from the Art Institute of Chicago and Chinese porcelain and works of art from the collection of Henry Arnhold.
Results: Sotheby's Asia Week achieved $52.4 million in six strong auctions, exceeding pre-sale estimates. With 76.5% of lots sold and 60.3% of lots surpassing high estimates, the Asian art sales at Sotheby's indicate continued collector interest in the finest works of art from China, India and and the Himalayas.
Today's sale of Important Chinese Art will proceed as planned with sessions at 10 AM and 2 PM EDT. Sotheby's will be monitoring the weather conditions throughout the day and will be available to coordinate alternative bidding options should conditions make it difficult for clients to attend the auction in person.
Bonhams Chinese Art department is renowned for offering the finest works of art representing the richness and breadth of China's artistic heritage, particularly Imperial porcelain, white and spinach green jades, cloisonné and Buddhist art. Specialised international auctions are held globally, including London, Hong Kong and San Francisco.
Bonhams : Chinese Works of Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. Please refer to our privacy and cookie policies for more information.
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars. We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. ... Chinese Art (US) General enquiries
Bonhams : Fine Chinese Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. Please refer to our privacy and cookie policies for more information.
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars Bonhams : Asian Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site.
Bonhams are international auctioneers of fine Chinese and Japanese art. We specialise in rare Imperial and Export Chinese ceramics and works of art, as well as Japanese ceramics, fine and decorative works of art from the Neolithic Period to the 20th century. View on map
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars. We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. ... Asian Art Bonhams. Work. 22 Queen St.