Japanese Woodblock Prints, c.1940s, self published by Jacoulet

SIZE IN INCHES: all 4 prints approx. 4 x 6 inches

COMMENTS: "Chagrins d'Amour, Kusaie, Est Carolines" (Sorrows of Love, Kusaie, Caroline Islands); "Les Jades - Chinoise" (Jade Lady); "Nuit de Neige, Cor'e" (Snowy Night, Korea); and Le Nid, Cor'e (The Nest, Korea)

PAUL JACOULET (1902-1960) was an eccentric, French-born artist who spent most of his life in Japan, establishing himself as a singular figure in 20th-century printmaking by fusing traditional Japanese ukiyo-e techniques with a distinct Western aesthetic. Raised in Tokyo and fluent in Japanese, Jacoulet worked closely with master carvers and printers to translate his intricate watercolors and drawings into lavishly detailed woodblock prints. His oeuvre is celebrated for its rich, vibrant colors and technically demanding, multi-block designs that frequently incorporated opulent materials like mica, powdered coral, embossed textures, and precious metal dust. Jacoulet traveled extensively throughout Micronesia, Korea, China, and the South Seas, dedicating much of his career to creating striking, stylized portraits that documented the traditional dress, indigenous people, and cultural roots of communities facing rapid modernization. Today, his highly valued works are preserved in prominent institutional collections around the globe, including the USC Pacific Asia Museum (which houses a complete set of his 166 print designs), the Honolulu Museum of Art, the British Museum, the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris.

Fair with flaws as shown