{"title":"Watanabe Kazan","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"portrait-of-ko-sukoku-watanabe-kazan","title":"Portrait of Kō Sūkoku - Watanabe Kazan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA delicate portrait of the scholar Kō Sūkoku, painted by Watanabe Kazan on a traditional folding fan using ink and subtle colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work depicts Kō Sūkoku, a contemporary scholar and associate of the artist. Watanabe Kazan was a prominent figure of the Edo period, known for his interest in Western painting techniques, particularly the use of light and shadow to create a sense of volume. This portrait, executed on a folding fan, demonstrates his ability to capture individual character through precise observation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe subject is presented within a circular frame, a common device in East Asian portraiture that draws the eye to the facial features. The artist employs subtle shading around the eyes and jawline, reflecting an awareness of European chiaroscuro, which Kazan studied through imported Dutch prints. Despite these Western influences, the work remains firmly grounded in the Japanese tradition of ink painting. The calligraphic lines defining the robes and the facial contours are fluid and controlled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fan format itself adds a layer of intimacy to the piece. Folding fans were often used as personal accessories or gifts among the literati class. The inclusion of calligraphy to the right of the portrait provides context, identifying the sitter and perhaps offering a poetic or biographical note. The composition is balanced, with the dark red ribs of the fan providing a visual anchor for the lighter, muted tones of the paper and the subject's clothing. This piece offers a view into the intellectual circles of nineteenth-century Japan, where traditional scholarship met an increasing curiosity about the wider world.\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=\"\/de\/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=\"\/de\/products\/portrait-of-ichimura-takenojo-and-sanjo-kantaro-okumura-toshinobu\" 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;\"\u003ePortrait of Ichimura Takenojō and Sanjō Kantarō - Okumura Toshinobu — Okumura Toshinobu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Watanabe Kazan","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58752374210895,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58752388956495,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58752388989263,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58752389022031,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58752389054799,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58752389087567,"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":58752389120335,"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":58752389153103,"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":58752389185871,"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":58752389218639,"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":58752389251407,"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":58752389284175,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Portrait-of-K-S-koku_Poster_CompositorV1_1789164088128.jpg?v=1789165122"},{"product_id":"portrait-of-ozora-buzaemon-watanabe-kazan","title":"Portrait of Ōzora Buzaemon - Watanabe Kazan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1837 portrait of the sumo wrestler Ōzora Buzaemon by Watanabe Kazan, featuring realistic shading and ink wash techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatanabe Kazan, a scholar and painter of the Edo period, created this portrait of the sumo wrestler Ōzora Buzaemon in 1837. The work demonstrates the artist's interest in Western techniques of shading and anatomical accuracy, which he integrated into the traditional Japanese ink wash tradition. Unlike the stylised depictions common in ukiyo-e prints of the era, this portrait offers a grounded, observational study of the subject.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figure stands in a three-quarter view, wearing a patterned kimono and carrying two swords, which denote his status. The artist employs subtle ink washes to define the folds of the fabric and the contours of the wrestler's face. The use of light and shadow around the eyes and jawline provides a sense of volume that was unconventional for the time. The background remains minimal, allowing the focus to remain entirely on the physical presence of the subject.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKazan was a member of the intellectual circle known as the Rangaku, or Dutch Learning group, which sought to understand Western science and art. This intellectual curiosity is visible in the precise rendering of the hands and the realistic proportions of the figure. The inclusion of a folding fan adds a touch of colour to the otherwise muted palette of ink and earth tones. This portrait is a record of a specific individual, capturing a moment of quiet reflection rather than a dramatic action. The inscription in the lower corner provides historical context, noting the date and the identity of the sitter. This print is a reproduction of the original hanging scroll, maintaining the delicate balance of ink density and negative space characteristic of Kazan's work.\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=\"\/de\/products\/mount-fuji-from-narusawa-in-autumn-hasui-kawase\" 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;\"\u003eMount Fuji from Narusawa in Autumn - Hasui Kawase — Hasui Kawase\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/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\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Watanabe Kazan","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58758237258063,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58758278611279,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58758278644047,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58758278676815,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58758278709583,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58758278742351,"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":58758278775119,"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":58758278807887,"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":58758278840655,"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":58758278873423,"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":58758278906191,"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":58758278938959,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Portrait-of-zora-Buzaemon_Poster_CompositorV1_1789224089699.jpg?v=1789225020"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/de\/collections\/watanabe-kazan.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}