1205 - Photography

Photography Hosoe, Eikoh Kamaitachi. Featuring 33 large-format black-and-white photogravure prints by Eikoh Hosoe, each individually enclosed in a blue, double-page-sized gatefold (Dance: Tatsumi Hijikata. Preface: Shuzo Takiguchi. Poem: Toyoichiro Miyoshi. Design: Ikko Tanaka). Tokyo, Gendai Shicho Sha, (1969). A total of 41 double-page sheets (7 pages of text, 34 double-page plates with the photographic images). Folio. Illustrated cloth binding with a printed polyester dust jacket, in its original slipcase. (Additional transparent acetate cover; tear in the lower third on the reverse side, which has been glued). Auer 497. Heiting/Kaneko 394 f., 306. Parr/Badger I, 284. The Open Book 248. - First edition. - One of 1,000 numbered and signed copies. - *Kamaitachi* documents the second artistic collaboration between photographer Eikoh Hosoe and Butoh dancer and founder Tatsumi Hijikata, following their first joint work, *Kinjiki* (1959). Hosoe, born in northern Japan, drew upon the legend of the Kamaitachi—a weasel-like demon said to roam the rice fields of the Tohoku region and slash anyone it encountered with a sickle. During a joint trip to Hijikata’s home region of Tohoku, the idea arose to reenact scenes evoking this legend in improvised tableaux with local villagers. The photographs depict Hijikata as a sort of wandering spirit who mirrors the barren landscape and confronts farmers and children—a fusion of performance and photography that represents both a personal and symbolic engagement with Japanese society in the upheaval of the postwar era. The visual language captivates with a subtle, almost physical sensuality: Hijikata’s distorted, writhing figure seems to merge with the landscape; light and shadow appear to be interwoven, and the rich, velvety blacks of the photogravure—with their deep, almost textural shadow areas—lend the images an almost tactile, atmospheric density that immediately draws the viewer into the dreamlike yet oppressive atmosphere of the series. It is precisely this depth of gray tones, achieved through the printing process, that is considered one of the defining quality features of the original 1969 edition and clearly distinguishes it from later reproductions. Overall, a good copy. The work is regarded as one of the most significant and sought-after Japanese photobooks of all time. Featuring 33 large-format black-and-white photographs by Eikoh Hosoe printed in photogravure, each individually enclosed within a blue, double-page gatefold. Folio. Illustrated cloth binding with a printed polyester dust jacket, in its original slipcase. (Additional transparent acetate sleeve on the reverse side, with a tear in the lower third; the tear has been taped.) Auer 497. Heiting/Kaneko 394 f., 306. Parr/Badger I, 284. The Open Book 248. - Rare first edition. - One of 1,000 numbered and signed copies. - *Kamaitachi* documents the second artistic collaboration between photographer Eikoh Hosoe and butoh dancer and founder Tatsumi Hijikata, following their first joint work, *Kinjiki* (1959). Hosoe, born in northern Japan, drew on the legend of the kamaitachi—a weasel-like demon said to roam the rice fields of the Tohoku region and slash open anyone it encountered with a sickle. During a joint trip to Hijikata’s home region of Tohoku, the idea arose to reenact, in improvised tableaux with local villagers, scenes evoking this legend. The photographs depict Hijikata as a kind of wandering spirit who mirrors the barren landscape and confronts farmers and children alike—a fusion of performance and photography that represents both a personal and symbolic engagement with Japanese society amid the upheavals of the postwar era. The visual language is marked by an underlying, almost physical sensuality: Hijikata’s contorted, writhing figure seems to merge with the landscape; light and shadow appear to blend into one another; and the rich, velvety blacks of the photogravure —with their deep, almost tactile shadow areas—lend the images a nearly haptic, atmospheric density that draws the viewer directly into the dreamlike, oppressive mood of the series. It is precisely this depth of tonal values, derived from the printing process, that is regarded as one of the defining hallmarks of the 1969 original edition, clearly distinguishing it from later reproductions. The work is regarded as one of the most significant and sought-after Japanese photobooks of all time. Good copy. This lot is subject to standard taxation. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books, art) or 19% value-added tax (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union. This work is subject to the standard margin scheme. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% value-added tax (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.