Kishi Ganku Self-Portrait - Prewar Japanese Photograph

Original prewar Japanese photograph of a self-portrait by Kishi Ganku (1749–1838), a prominent Kyoto painter of the late Edo period and founder of the Kishi school.

Best known for his paintings of tigers, Ganku created this self-portrait in the final years of his life. The artist depicted himself in old age, seated in traditional robes and a tall cap, holding a pipe. The original painting, executed in color on silk, is regarded as an important work of Japanese portraiture from the Edo period.

The painting has a remarkable family history. A handwritten inscription on the reverse of the photograph identifies its historical location as the Tokyo collection of Kishi Eigo, an heir to the Kishi family art collection. The self-portrait was later documented in the collection of his daughter, Kishi Masako. It was also reproduced in the 1991 exhibition catalogue Japanese Portraits of the Early Modern Period, published by the Saga Prefectural Art Museum.

The photograph comes from a historical Japanese collection documenting works of art held in temples and private collections. This surviving prewar print preserves the image of Ganku's self-portrait together with its original handwritten record of the painting's historical ownership.

Material and Technique: Original photographic print on paper, with handwritten documentation on the reverse.

Period: Prewar Japan, early 20th century.

Size (approx.): 10 × 15 cm.

Condition: Vintage condition.

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