Posted 7 years ago
pamelacarg…
(41 items)
This particular painting is of Camelia blooms
*Imported probably between 1917-1923*
About Tanigami Konan as stated by the Ohmi Gallery:
THE ARTIST:
Tanigami Konan (1879 - 1928)
"Tanigami Konan was born 1879 in Hyogo prefecture and is a well known Kacho-e (birds and flowers) Nihon-ga artist. He was the first Japanese artist to paint Western flowers and is renown for his vivid, true-to-life painting of flowers.
Tanigami Konan produced five volumes of pictures of Western plants which were published by Unsodo circa 1917/18. This series is called 'Seiyo Soka Zofu', (A Picture Album of Western Plants and Flowers). Depicting lush flowers and exotic plants in full bloom and organised as a visual record of garden flowers, two volumes each were devoted to the spring and summer seasons, while the 5th volume combined the flowers and plants that flourished in the autumn and winter seasons.
Konan is mostly known for his signature peony series. In 1917 he was selected to produce a series of twenty-four peony prints for the Teiten (Imperial Exhibition). I do not know much about this series (available information is very scant) so I will allow Fuji Arts to describe this series: The Peony Series from the Imperial Exhibition: In 1917, one of Japan's famous naturalist artists, Tanigami Konan, was chosen to produce a series of beautiful peony prints for the Teiten (Imperial Exhibition). Because of the importance of this auspicious occasion, all of the traditional Japanese works of art were to be produced to the highest standards. The Peony series by Konan was one of those selected traditional Japanese works. Konan designed and printed a lovely set of 24 peonies.These beautiful original woodblock prints were printed in an extra large format, and are unusually large for kacho-e woodblock prints. Bold, bright, and beautiful, they are some of the finest floral designs ever printed in the woodblock print world. They are all excellent quality, finely printed on beautiful handmade paper with a 'natural' untrimmed edge. Unlike some of the smaller and more commonly produced floral subjects in the Japanese woodblock print world, and in the botanical print world in general, these Tanigami Konan peony prints are large, exceptional, eye-catching designs that would make a beautiful traditional Japanese centerpiece in any room.
After the Teiten Exhibition, the 24 peony scenes were republished in 1923 in two picture books as volumes one and two of a three-volume series entitled 'Shokei Kakicho' (A Book of Flower Shapes and Forms). The third volume is slightly smaller in size and contains ten prints of both peony and other flowers, the scenes having thin black borders. Each of the first two volumes held twelve scenes, while the third volume held ten scenes. The three volumes were republished in 1926, and (at least for the third volume) 1929. Obviously prints taken from the picture books have vertical centre-folds, and prints in the first two volumes sometimes included titles (depending on the edition, I believe)."
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***PROVENANCE INFO: About Abraham & Straus, Inc.***
In 1893, the Straus family and Simon Rothschild bought out Wechsler’s interest in the company and renamed the joint Abraham & Straus—which also had controlling interest in R.H. Macy & Co. in New York. By 1900, A&S had 4,650 employees. In April, 1912, co-founder Isidor Straus and his wife Ida went down with the Titanic.
Within 15 years, the thriving company bought & renovated an ornate Art Deco cast iron building down the street, and the glistening new department store became the ultimate destination for Brooklyn Heights’, Downtown Brooklyn’s and the surrounding areas’ upscale clientele.
The space was continually expanded through 1928 until it took up an entire city block at 422 Fulton Street in Brooklyn. The A&S anchor store represented the height of white-glove service and elegance in the department store biz, mobbed with customers who were doted upon by uniformed elevator operators, along with a gourmet food center, furs, restaurant, art gallery, beauty salon, stamps & coins and a “wig bar.” There was even space where you could pull in your horse & buggy and park comfortably underground.
In 1929, Abraham & Straus, Bloomingdale’s, Filene’s & Lazarus merged to form Federated Department Stores and set up base in Cincinnati. In 1950, the company purchased Loeser’s in Garden City and converted that to Abraham & Straus, continuing suburban expansion in Hempstead, N.Y., in 1952, followed by Manhasset, Smithtown, Babylon, White Plains and Manhattan; Monmouth, Short Hills and Paramus, N.J.; and King of Prussia and Willow Grove, Penn.
Throughout much of the 20th Century, Abraham & Straus maintained stance as the powerhouse of Federated. However, over-expansion to other regions and vapid business strategies toppled the fortunes of A&S and by the late 1970s, after a real estate developer purchased Federated, it merged with Boston’s Jordan Marsh.
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***I have two large Original Floral Studies by Tanigami Konan with The information on the back regarding where Abraham and Straus Imported them directly***
Thank You and i hope you enjoyed seeing them and reading about the artist, as well as the history of Abraham & Straus, Inc.
Sincerely, Pamela Cargile
