{"title":"Shiba Kokan","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"sketches-of-people-jinbutsu-soga-kokan","title":"Sketches of People (Jinbutsu sōga) - Kokan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA Japanese woodblock print from the Jinbutsu sōga series, depicting two figures of varying social rank in traditional Edo period attire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print originates from the volume titled Jinbutsu sōga, or Sketches of People, attributed to the artist Kokan. The work functions as a visual reference guide for the social hierarchy of the Edo period, documenting the specific attire and postures associated with different ranks of the imperial court and nobility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is divided into two distinct panels, each featuring a seated figure rendered in a minimalist, calligraphic style. The left figure represents a high-ranking official, identified by the accompanying text as a member of the third rank or above. The right figure depicts a lower-ranking official, specifically one below the fourth rank. The artist employs a fluid, economical line to define the voluminous robes and the characteristic headwear of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the figures, the print includes handwritten annotations in English, likely added by a later collector or scholar to translate the Japanese kanji. These notes provide context for the social standing of the subjects, such as the term 'Denjobito', which refers to those permitted to enter the imperial palace. The paper shows the natural ageing typical of eighteenth-century Japanese woodblock prints, with a warm, off-white tone that complements the stark black ink. This piece offers a glimpse into the pedagogical nature of Japanese art books from the era, which served to codify cultural knowledge and visual conventions for students and enthusiasts alike. The lack of background detail ensures the focus remains entirely on the social markers conveyed through costume and posture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-courtesan-from-a-collection-of-beautiful-women-of-the-yoshiwara-suzuki-harunobu\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Courtesan (From A Collection of Beautiful Women of the Yoshiwara) - Suzuki Harunobu — Suzuki Harunobu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/so-shiseki-picture-album-so-shiseki\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eSō Shiseki Picture Album - Sō Shiseki — Sō Shiseki\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Shiba Kōkan","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081517236559,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081582510415,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081582543183,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081582575951,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081582608719,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081582641487,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081582674255,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081582707023,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081582739791,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081582772559,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081582805327,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081582838095,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Sketches-of-People-Jinbutsu-s-ga-_Poster_CompositorV1_1791616049483.jpg?v=1791616270"},{"product_id":"a-diary-of-travel-from-edo-to-nagasaki-shiba-kokan","title":"A Diary of Travel from Edo to Nagasaki - Shiba Kōkan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA woodblock print from the travelogue Seiyūryōdan by Shiba Kōkan, featuring a detailed illustration of Mount Fuji alongside descriptive Japanese text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print originates from the travelogue Seiyūryōdan, written and illustrated by the Japanese polymath Shiba Kōkan. The work documents his journey from Edo to Nagasaki in 1788. Kōkan was a pioneer of Western-style painting in Japan, known as Yōga, and his interest in European techniques is visible in his approach to spatial representation and line work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe print features a dual-page layout, combining text with a visual depiction of Mount Fuji. The left panel presents the mountain as a central subject, rendered with precise, thin lines that define the slopes and the surrounding terrain. A small structure sits in the lower left, providing a sense of scale against the massive peak. The right panel contains descriptive text written in Japanese script, detailing the route and observations made during the travel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKōkan utilised the woodblock medium to disseminate his observations of the Japanese geography. His style departs from traditional Ukiyo-e conventions, favouring a more analytical observation of form. The composition is balanced, with the text and image occupying distinct yet complementary spaces within the frame. The paper shows signs of age, with a warm, off-white tone that provides a neutral background for the black ink lines. This piece offers a glimpse into the intersection of traditional Japanese printing and the curiosity regarding Western perspective that defined Kōkan's career. It serves as a record of both the physical journey and the intellectual pursuits of an artist operating during a period of restricted international contact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/memory-of-a-voyage-rene-magritte\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMemory of a Voyage - René Magritte — René Magritte\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/picture-book-ogura-hill-ehon-ogurayama-nishikawa-sukenobu\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePicture Book: Ogura Hill (Ehon Ogurayama) - Nishikawa Sukenobu — Nishikawa Sukenobu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Shiba Kōkan","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081669673295,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081674686799,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59081674719567,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081674752335,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081674785103,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081674817871,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081674850639,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081674883407,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081674916175,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59081674948943,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59081674981711,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59081675014479,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/A-Diary-of-Travel-from-Edo-to-Nagasaki_Poster_CompositorV1_1791617843394.jpg?v=1791617959"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/collections\/shiba-kokan.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}