Kitao Shigemasa

Two geisha rehearsing a song

Found at Sothebys, London
Masters of the Woodblock: Important Japanese Prints, Lot 5
14. Jul - 21. Jul 2022
Estimate: 3.000 - 5.000 GBP
Price realised: 3.780 GBP
Property from an Important European Collection (Lots 1 - 17, All Formerly in the Collection of Henri Vever)
Kitao Shigemasa (1739-1820)
Two geisha rehearsing a song
Edo period, 18<sup>th</sup> century
woodblock print, from an untitled series, unsigned, circa late 1770s, depicting two geisha practicing music, the singer with her head in profile kneeling with an open songbook in hand, her companion tuning her shamisen; with collector’s seal H.V., with original Sotheby's paper sale folder depicting Henri Vever monogram
Vertical oban: 36.9 x 25.4 cm., 14½ x 10 in.
Henri Vever (1854-1942) | Sotheby’s, London, Highly Important Japanese Prints from the Henri Vever Collection: Final Part, 30 October 1997, Lot 46.

Auction result well in line with expectations

In July last year Sothebys in London held the auction Masters of the Woodblock: Important Japanese Prints, which included the work Two geisha rehearsing a song by Kitao Shigemasa. The price achieved of GBP 3,780.00 (€ 4,513.99) was within expectations - the estimate range had previously been set by the auction house as GBP 3,000.00 – 5,000.00. However, buyers have had to dig much deeper into their pockets for other works by Kitao Shigemasa - we have observed the highest auction result to date for the work La première, période Edo (1615-1868), fin du 18e et début 19e siècle ; la seconde, probablement ère Showa (1926-1989), début du 20e siècle, which sold at auction in October this year for EUR 11,520.00.

Auktionsergebnis im Rahmen der Erwartungen

Im Juli letzten Jahres führte Sothebys in London die Auktion Masters of the Woodblock: Important Japanese Prints durch, in der auch die Arbeit Two geisha rehearsing a song von Kitao Shigemasa zur Versteigerung kam. Der dabei erzielte Preis von GBP 3.780,00 (€ 4.513,99) lag im Rahmen der Erwartungen – die Schätzpreisspanne war von dem Auktionshaus zuvor mit GBP 3.000,00 – 5.000,00 angegeben worden. Für andere Arbeiten von Kitao Shigemasa mussten die Käufer allerdings auch schon deutlich tiefer in die Tasche greifen – das bisher höchste Auktionsergebnis haben wir für die Arbeit La première, période Edo (1615-1868), fin du 18e et début 19e siècle ; la seconde, probablement ère Showa (1926-1989), début du 20e siècle beobachtet, die im Oktober diesen Jahres für EUR 11.520,00 versteigert wurde.

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