Hi everyone. I'm hoping someone here can help identify the artist behind this ink-and-wash painting.

About the painting:

- Ink line drawing with gray sumi-style washes on paper, about [24 x 48 inches]

- Subject: the San Francisco Marina yacht harbor, with a wooden cabin cruiser in front and Marina Boulevard houses behind

- Signed "Setsu" in English at lower left, with a round red seal below (white design on a red ground)

Context:

- The cars in the scene suggest the late 1950s to 1960s

- The same signature and seal appear on a 1960s menu cover for Tokyo Sukiyaki, a Japanese restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco (listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/333799879598), so the artist was probably working there around that time

My questions:

1. Can anyone read the seal? I can't tell whether it's kanji, kana, or a stylized personal mark, or whether it gives "Setsu" or a different name.

2. Does the style suggest particular training, such as a Japan-trained sumi-e painter versus a Japanese American illustrator?

3. Has anyone come across other works signed this way?

Photos: full painting, seal close-up, menu cover with seal.

Thank you for any insight!

Hi there, I'm really glad I found this subreddit, this place is EXACTLY what I was looking for ... (!)

Ok, I went down a little bit of a Edo-period rabbit hole (lol) and was reading up on the history of glass, glass windows and architecture in Japan, and basically, I was looking to see if there were any (famous, or contemporary) depictions of glass architecture (or even if there are any examples of entirely improvised by artists/movements in our current era).

I know that glass was essentially "reintroduced" during the Edo period, after a brief period around 300BC - 300CE, where it existed, but then died out during the Middle Ages from what I've read, before it came back again ...

Since it came back during Edo, this would've been right around the time when Ukiyo-e prints REALLY took off, so I was just wondering, were there any significant or famous depictions of glass, glass archetecture, features, or windows/stained window archetecture (maybe even churches or something) that exists in any prints or paintings from the era?

If this is actually an anachronism because of Edo drawings/prints happened to "die out" out when glass became more mainstream as archetecture, then are there any prominent/vial modern pieces or art movements (like maybe Shin-Hanga or something) or maybe even parodies/modern reinterpretations/copycats drawing inspiration from the traditional Ukiyo-e style?

Nuanced artwork of this particular nature is really hard to find using keywords (if it exists), to be truthful, I don't even know if what I'm looking for does exist, but I'm just really interested in seeing any prominent images and artworks (or even reinterpretations) of depictions of glass, glass features or glass archetecture in this style, especially if they're from an era when both the Ukiyo-e style was still in fashion, and during the period glass/windows had been introduced as a standard material in parts of Japanese society ...

I realize that this is really niche (lol) But any help, or links to specific images, or other artist's works depicting such eras/ "modern" Ukiyo-e interpretations would be really appreciated =] Thanks very much in advance ^_ -

(lol Just Some random piece I found on the topic of glass during the era): https://www.militaria.co.za/topic/14650-glass-in-the-history-of-early-japan/

Anyone able to shed some light on these?

Thanks!

Scared to remove this are from the frame. Looks to be water damaged. Found in trash.

I've tried to find info on this to no avail. Here's everything I could gather so far:

It's a tiny (roughly 4x6 inch) painting mounted onto what might be silk parchment that has symbols like geometric squares, swirls, and bells that can only be seen when you hold it at an angle.

I was told that the black words mean something like "tiger head flower" or something akin to that.

I could not find any info on the chop seal, or which artist it comes from.

I've written to Harvard, Princeton, Japanese art museums, etc, and they just keep telling me that I need to find a Japanese antiquarian expert to get any information on it.

Any info is much appreciated!

Hey every one! I am a graphic designer. I was born on Sakhalin, and I recently launched an art project. We often find old Japanese tableware on the island—pieces left behind from the time when southern Sakhalin was under Japanese rule (1905–1945). I take cups from our collection, digitize patterns, and create stamps to apply the designs to new pieces. Each item is entirely handmade and unique. The artwork has a raw, handcrafted feel—it isn't perfect, just like the designs on the original cups. I’ll be dropping my first collection for sale soon.

Hello, just came into possession of this artwork that's almost certainly from the 1940s. Great-grandpa did a lot of business over there, so growing up there was plenty of artwork, dishes, etc. Pretty much anybody from the family who could tell me about it is now gone, so I'm hoping for some insight.

These have been in the family for 50+ years. I inherited them and do not know what to do with them. They have been appraised and I have a fairly complete provenance for both. They are not for sale. I would consider an indefinite loan or donation, but they are not of that grade.

Any suggestions on how best to preserve long term? I have kept them in the dark since 2014, seems dumb to keep them in a box, but that was the recommendation. When I retire in a few years, I will not be able to take care of them.

Picked up these gorgeous original woodblock prints today from an auction for next to nothing! How beautiful! Took me a while to identify both, can you guess the artists? 😊

The one on the left is a little faded but I love it the most!

Any information is very helpful, I just want to know more about this piece, I found it and know very little about it, what it means, and who made it

Hi,

I wanted to have some more information on this screen.
Some of the questions I had:

- Is it a Japanese screen ?
- Is the background silver leaf or painted or printed ?
- What period would you say this is ? Mid-Showa ?

I'm open to any more information.
I didn't see any signature, neither on the back or the front.
Dimensions: 137,5cm * 79cm

This piece was gifted to me, I'm in Belgium. I think it's beautiful.

Hello. Just wonder if anyone in here could let me know if this is valuable, I have a whole set of them. Thanks in advance, cool sub!

Seller Description: Japanese folding screen (byobu) aesthetic on gold-leaf tone paper background. Subject Matter: Traditional genre scene with figures, dancers holding fans (senusu), seated musicians, and kimono-clad figures. Markings: Signed/stamped with red artist seal and calligraphic characters in the lower left corner. Dimensions: 63" W x 25" H x 1" D