Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japanese, 1839-1892). "Study for Woodcut #02". Pen and ink drawing. c1870s. Translucent Gampi (Washi/Rice/Mulberry) paper affixed at the corners to a semi-opaque, handmade, laid paper. Image in very good condition; minor folding upper right and left corners, no broken paper fibers; small 1/2" tear into image middle left, unobtrusive, not invading images themselves. Support sheet missing upper right corner. Provenance: Wittenborn Art Books, New York City. Overall size: 7 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. (190 x 273 mm). Image size: 6 x 10 1/2 in. (152 x 267 mm). Drawings by Yoshitoshi are very scarce. This drawing came from a hand bound album of drawings and sketches, with Yoshitoshi’s name and date inscribed, not in his hand, on the first leaf (please see images). The date is written “the 27th year of Meiji period, Oct. 10th.” The 27th year of the Meiji is the year 1894, two years after the Artist’s death. The album is hand bound and had many blank pages. In addition, the final non-blank pages are colored around the drawings with cinnabar, clearly by the artist. Hence while the album could have been assembled after his death, the more likely probability is that it was bound by the Artist and became a working album, which he continually added to over the years. He is also known as Taiso Yoshitoshi, Yoshitoshi Taiso, and Tsukioka Kinzaburo Yoshitoshi. [24500-2-500]