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Rare set of three antique sheets gathering Meiji-era polychrome Japanese prints, from the Edmond Labour collection and preserved in their travel souvenir presentation dating to 1901. Each sheet bears at the top the printed French inscription: “SOUVENIR DE MON VOYAGE AUTOUR DU MONDE (1901) EDMOND LABOUR – CONSEILLER GÉNÉRAL.” The three presented sheets each feature four color Japanese compositions, framed by a remarkable red-and-white decorative border with floral motifs. The scenes mainly depict daily Japanese life: women in kimono, children, domestic interiors, strolling under flowering trees, agricultural work, leisure and family scenes. These prints are signed "Ho Utamaro hitsu" 倣歌麿筆 (In the manner of Utamaro) and would be dated to 1889. Provenance Former Edmond Labour collection. The sheets bear directly his name, his title of “Conseiller Général,” and the mention of his around-the-world voyage of 1901. This provenance is of particular interest for the history of French collecting and Japonism at the turn of the 20th century: the prints were kept in a presentation explicitly structured as a travel souvenir of Labour. Other Japanese prints from the former Edmond Labour collection, acquired during his trip to Japan in 1901, are documented on the French art market. Presentation and patrimonial interest The value of this set lies not only in the Japanese prints but also in their French historical mounting associated with the 1901 voyage. The decorative borders, French inscriptions, signatures and Japanese cartouches form a cohesive ensemble that it seems desirable to preserve intact. The sheets have therefore not been detached to individualize the prints. The compositions display a fine decorative quality and colors that remain particularly vivid: reds, blues, greens, violets and yellows. Condition An old set of more than 120 years showing normal signs of age and conservation. In particular, depending on the sheet: yellowing and patina of the paper, small stains, creases or handling marks, edge wear, minor corner and edge accidents. The photographs are an integral part of the description and allow for a precise assessment of the conservation state.

Estimate:£169.22

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