74 Autor neznámý Pair of Narrow Landscapes: Pilgrim among Trees and Ocean Wave

Japan, late 19th / early 20th century (Meiji / Taishō period)

This lot offers an attractive pair of decorative woodblock prints in the popular narrow vertical format (known as tanzaku or pillar prints hashira-e).

• The first print (left) depicts a quiet, contemplative scene: a pilgrim or monk in a dark cloak walking along a path lined with tall, slender trees. A narrow blue stream zigzags in the foreground, and the sky is enhanced by a delicate, warm color gradation (bokashi). This sheet bears a calligraphic signature of a yet unidentified artist and a square red seal in the lower-left corner.
• The second print (right) presents a much more dynamic view inspired by classic motifs of Japanese art. A massive crashing ocean wave with white foam dominates the foreground, revealing a coastal landscape behind it featuring pine-clad cliffs, a distant sailboat, and a majestic mountain on the horizon.