Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), Swallows, 1847-52

Color woodcut, paper; dimensions: 345 x 65 mm; signed: Eisen ga and publisher's stamp: Fujiokaya Keijiro (active 1847-52).

Graphic on entire composition glued with gray paper on back.

Keisai Eisen (1790-1848) son of the calligrapher Shigeharu. He lived in Edo. He initially studied painting of the Kanō school, later ukiyo-e under Kikukawa Eizan. The subjects of his works were mainly beautiful women and landscapes. He created works jointly with Hiroshige. Vincent van Gogh valued the work of Keisai Eisen and had his woodcuts in his collection.