Tenko 天鼓 from the series “Noga taikan (A Great Collection of Noh Pictures)” - 1925-30 - Tsukioka Kōgyo 月岡耕漁 (1869-1927) - Japan - Taishō Zeit (1912-1926)

Good condition.

Description:
Original woodblock print – Tsukioka Kogyo (1869-1927) – from the series “Noga taikan (A Great Collection of Noh Pictures)”
This work is also Kougyo’s representative series work.
The signature is ‘Kougyo’ 耕漁

Kogyo's Noga taikan - Kogyo was at work on his last great series "Noga taikan" when he died in 1927. This large work, comprising 200 prints, was published in five volumes, with Kogyo completing four volumes before his death and his student Matsuno Sofu finishing the fifth volume. In this beautiful series Kogyo departed from his normally plain white backgrounds and designed a group of prints with softly colored backgrounds and richly colored, dynamic figures. Many images are detailed with touches of metallic pigment, capturing the elegance of the sumptuous Noh costumes. Others feature strong wood grain impression in the background, adding interest and texture. With excellent detail and the highest printing standards, these designs are exceptional in his career.

Author:
Kōgyo Tsukioka (月岡 耕漁, Tsukioka Kōgyo), sometimes called Kōgyo Sakamaki (坂巻 耕漁, Sakamaki Kōgyo), (April 18, 1869 – February 25, 1927) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period. He was a student and adopted son of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, and also studied with Ogata Gekkō.
Kōgyo’s style was heavily influenced by the traditional Japanese theater form of kabuki and Noh. He specialized in creating prints and paintings of actors in costume and in dramatic poses, often surrounded by elaborate sets and scenery. His works were highly detailed and meticulously rendered, capturing the beauty and drama of the kabuki performances. Unlike most ukiyo-e prints, his works have an almost painterly quality and use gold and silver for the Noh costume embellishments. Kogyo’s woodblock prints required very skilled engravers and printers to produce.
Kōgyo’s contributions to the art world were widely recognized during his lifetime. He was a member of the prestigious Tokyo School of Fine Arts and was awarded numerous prizes and honors for his work. His prints and paintings were exhibited in galleries around the world, including the Tokyo National Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.