~~ Unit 1886090704 ~~

Croquis japonais
by G. Bigot, 1886

Extracted Plates

• Extracted Plates. This page offers individual plates carefully removed from Croquis japonais Par G. Bigot.
• Condition. The plates have been carefully removed from a bound (string tied) volume. The plate size measures 12 1/2 x 18 in - 31.6 x 46 cm. The plates have not been trimmed. The plate numbers shown below are not on the plate nor is there a listing of illustrations in the book. The plates are numbered in the order they were in the book. All plates available are illustrated below. Condition of each plate is noted below the image. The first 15 plates have a large area of water staining at the bottom right. However, the stain does not intrude into the image area. The right margin of each plate has 8 stab holes which were used for the string ties. To see an example of the stab holes, click here.
• On-Line Order Form. At the bottom of this page you will find a click and submit on-line order form for these plates.

 
Bigot, Georges:
Croquis japonais Par G. Bigot (Sketches of Japan), Tokio, 1886, small folio (12 1/2 x 18 in - 31.6 x 46 cm), paper wraps, string tied, a blank free page before and after the plates, 29 leaves/plates of black and white etchings printed directly on high quality thin cream laid paper. The front and back covers have black and white etchings laid/tipped onto thick gray cardboard covers. All of the 29 etchings on cream paper are in a recessed area as is characteristic of this printing process. The book is generally described as containing 31 etchings as the cover etchings are included in the total.

The image areas of the 29 etchings vary but, except for one, are generally 5 x 7 in or larger. The largest etching (Two Ladies Playing Shuttlecock/Badminton) is 8 x 10 in.

Etching is a term of art that refers to an engraving process. It involves an artist actually sketching/carving the image onto a metal plate (usually copper) which has been coated with wax. The plate is dipped in acid and where the wax has been removed the lines are etched into the plate by the acid. It is quite likely that Bigot was the artist who sketched the plates rather than another person copying his work. On close examination, you see the printed image is in a recessed area. The recessed area is caused when the plate is pressed into the paper. It should be noted that not all of G. Bigot's books used the labor intensive etching process. Some employed the lithographic process which is more suited for mass production printing.

Plate 1 -- Not Available
L'Etudiant - Album [A Student]
13.6 x 19.2 cm
 


Plate 2 -- $35.00
Ecoliers [School Boys]
13.3 x 19.3 cm
 
Plate 2. School Boys.  Condition.  Good.  White areas above the image
and intruding  into the image.  Scattered foxing.  Price: $35.00


Plate 3 -- $65.00
Officer
13.3 x 18.6 cm 

Plate 3. Officer.  Condition.  Good+.  Scattered foxing in the image area.
Price:  $65.00


Plate 4 -- $85.00
Soldat [Soldier]
12.8 x 18.6 cm

Plate 4. Soldier.  Condition.  Very Good.  Very clean plate.
Price:  $85.00
 

Plate 5 -- $65.00
Matelot [Sailor]
12.8 x 19.1 cm

Plate 5. Sailor.  Condition.  Good+.  Moderate foxing, some 
in the image area.   Price:  $65.00


Plate 6 -- $75.00
Fonctionnaire [Civil Servant]
13.2 x 18.9 cm

Plate 6. Civil Servant.  Condition.  Civil Servant.  Very Good.  Light foxing,
confined to margin area.   Price:  $75.00


Plate 7 -- $75.00
[Student Reading Book]
15.2 x 20 cm

Plate 7. Student.  Condition.  Very Good.  Light foxing, confined to 
margin area.   Price:  $75.00


Plate 8 -- $75.00
[Two Seated Ladies]
14.6 x 17.5 cm

Plate 8. Two Seated Ladies.  Condition.  Very Good.  Clean.   Price:  $75.00


Plate 9 -- $65.00
Bonzes [Two Priest]
13.4 x 19 cm

Plate 9. Two Priests.  Condition.  Very Good.  Clean.   Price:  $65.00


Plate 10 -- $95.00
Agent de Police [Policeman]
13.4 x 19 cm

Plate 10. Policeman.  Condition.  Very Good.  Clean.   Price:  $95.00


Plate 11 --  $100.00
Servant
13.4 x 19.2 cm

Plate 11. Servant.  Condition.  Very Good.  Clean.   Price:  $100.00
 
   
Plate 12 -- $55.00
Facteur [Postman]
13.2 x 19cm

Plate 12. Postman.  Condition.  Good+.  Clean.  White spotting on  
the entire the plate.  Price:  $55.00


Plate 19 -- $65.00
Merchant de Remedes [Traveling Pharmacist]
13.4 x 19 cm

Plate 19. Traveling Pharmacist.  Condition.  Good.  Scattered 
light foxing.  Price: $65.00


Plate 20 -- $55.00
[Smoking Man in Rain Gear]
12.3 x 18.9 cm

Plate 20. Man in Rain Gear Smoking.  Condition.  Good.  Paper thin
in bottom right margin.  Price: $55.00


Plate 21
Beato [Groom With Horse] -- $75.00
13.5 x 18.5 cm

Plate 21. Groom with Horse.  Condition.  Good.  Scattered
moderate foxing.  Price: $75.00


Plate 22
Jun-iki [Man in Straw Rain Gear] -- $35.00
13.4 x 18.8 cm

Plate 22. Man in Straw Rain Gear.  Condition.  Good-.  Heavy foxing
front and back.  Price: $35.00


Plate 23
Pecheur [Man Fishing] -- $35.00
13.7 x 18.5 cm

Plate 23. Man Fishing.  Condition.  Good-.  Heavy foxing
front and back.  Price: $35.00


Plate 24
Ama [A Blind Masseuse] -- $65.00
12.1 x 18.6 cm

Plate 24. A Blind Masseuse.  Condition.  Very Good-.  Scattered
moderate foxing.  Price: $65.00


Plate 25
M. de Poissons [Fish Monger/Merchant] -- $65.00
13.4 x 18.8 cm

Plate 24. Fish Merchant.  Condition.  Very Good. Clean.  Price: $65.00


Plate 26
[Man With Basket - Cleaning a Road/Path] -- $65.00
12.1 x 18.8 cm

Plate 26. Man Cleaning a Road.  Condition.  Very Good. Clean.  Price: $65.00


Plate 27
M. de Pueta [Traveling Shoe Merchant/Seller] -- $75.00
13.2 x 19.1 cm

Plate 27. Traveling Shoe Merchant.  Condition.  Very Good. Clean.  Price: $75.00


Plate 28
Chanteuses des Rue [Two Street Singers] -- $85.00
13.3 x19 cm

Plate 28. Two Street Singers.  Condition.  Very Good. Clean.  Price: $85.00


Back Cover - Etching - "Rue de Kojimachi a Tokyo"  - $60.00
16.4 x 17.5 cm

Back Cover. "Rue de Kojimachi a Tokyo."  Condition.  Good.  Back cover
heavily soiled, writing outside image area.  Etching printed
directly on the thich stock paper.  Price: $60.00

Identified as "Rue de Kojimachi a Tokyo" (1987 Bigot Exhibition).

On-Line Order Form

   Plate 1.   Sold - Student
 Plate 2.   $35.00 - School Boys
 Plate 3.   $65.00 - Officer
 Plate 4.   $85.00 - Soldier
 Plate 5.   $65.00 - Sailor
 Plate 6.   $75.00 - Civil Servant
 Plate 7.   $75.00 - Student Reading Book
 Plate 8.   $75.00 - Two Ladies Seated
 Plate 9.   $65.00 - Two Priests
 Plate 10.  $95.00 - Policeman
 Plate 11. $100.00 - Servant
 Plate 12.  $55.00 - Postman
 Plate 13.  $75.00 - Seated Man
 Plate 14.  $85.00 - Two Ladies
 Plate 15.  $85.00 - Cutting Hair
 Plate 16.  $85.00 - Lady Carrying Water
 Plate 17.  $55.00 - Lady Washing Cloths
 Plate 18.  $65.00 - Lady Eating
 Plate 19.  $65.00 - Traveling Pharmachist
 Plate 20.  $55.00 - Smoking Man in Rain Gear
 Plate 21.  $75.00 - Groom with Horse
 Plate 22.  $35.00 - Man in Straw Rain Gear
 Plate 23.  $35.00 - Man Fishing
 Plate 24.  $65.00 - A Blind Masseuse
 Plate 25.  $65.00 - Fish Merchant
 Plate 26.  $65.00 - Man Cleaning a Road
 Plate 27.  $75.00 - Traveling Shoe Merchant
 Plate 28.  $85.00 - Two Street Singers
 Plate 29.  $95.00 - View of a Pond
 Back Cover.  $60.00 - Rue de Kojimachi a Tokyo

Georges Bigot

(1860-1927)

 
Georges Bigot, a French painter and sketch artist, resided in Japan from 1882-1899. Initially he taught drawing at the National Military Academy. He married in Japan and had a son, Maurice. Georges Bigot and Charles Wirgman (See The Japan Punch) are both noted for their satirical sketch art in Japan. In Japan, Bigot's art appeared in a number of works. It is said that he published over 30 books/albums with his sketch art. Additionally, it is believed that he published or contributed to over 100 different periodicals (most in Japan and a few in Europe). It has been reported that Bigot was engaged in amateur photography in Japan but I have found no photographic images attributed to him recorded in publications or offered on the market. In 1899 he divorced his wife, Masu, and departed Japan with his son. He returned to France where he remarried and began a career producing satirical drawings (Epinal prints), sketches for magazines and later landscape paintings. Many of the landscapes were of Japanese scenes. For a listing of books and periodicals associated with Georges Bigot, click here. Two recent articles regarding Georges Bigot are outlined below.

Bigot's work in Japan was multi-faceted. He produced individual works for patrons, very limited edition books of etchings and mass marketed works in lithograph form. He worked in several mediums (water color paintings, sketches, etchings and lithographs) across a wide spectrum of subjects. He lived in Japan during an era of rapid modernization and assimilation of Western technology, ideas, values and styles. Much of his work appears to be an effort to capture images of the old pre-modernization Japan. On the other hand, he was keenly aware of where Japan was headed and sought to show that in his work. These images tend to be more in the nature of satire and along the line of what we now call cartoons.

In art published in France, Bigot would sometimes add the following Japanese signature to his work:

 
Books and Articles on Georges Bigot.

Georges Bigot: Ill y a cent ansa, nun artiste Francis auk Japan, Tokyo, Reunion desk Musees Japonais and Journal Yomiuri, 1987, square 8vo (9 x 9 1/2 in - 23 x 24 cm), text in Japanese and French, soft wraps, front cover illustrated with Bigot painting of a young lady carrying a child, 773 numbered illustrations of Bigot's work, 198 pp. An exhibition catalogue. This exhibition toured Japan and Paris from March through October of 1987. The catalogue is divided into two parts - works in color (386 numbered illustrations) and works in black and white (387 numbered illustrations).Often a numbered illustration contains sub-parts so there are far more than the 773 numbered illustrations. At the back are two sections with notes on each numbered illustration. The color illustrations show Bigot's works in Japan in water color, oil on canvas and pen & ink. The black and white illustrations show Bigot's sketch work as depicted in actual drawings or contained in various published formats (etchings, reproduced in lithograph and photo-mechanically reproduced). While Bigot's work before and after Japan are shown in this part, the vast majority are from the period when he lived in Japan. The black and white section also reproduces 6 photographs (#339) which appear to be his wife and son. A important and richly illustrated listing of Georges Bigot work in Japan. To see the cover, click here.

Shigeru, Oikawa:
Georges Bigot's Secret Life as an Epinal Print Artist, published in Daruma, Japanese Art & Antiques Magazine, Issue 33, Vol. 9, No. 1, Winter 2002, Japan, 8vo, illustrated stiff wraps, 58 pp. The article on Georges Bigot covers pages 37 to 46. It is illustrated with 18 figures. A discussion of Georges Bigot's work after he returned to France in 1899. The "Epinal Prints" were color lithographs of a cartoon type nature presenting short stories/tales. They received the name because they were produced by the Jean-Charles Pellerin in the town of Epinal in France. Many of the prints were anonymous but Bigots name or identification is contained in some. Many but not all of the Bigot prints depict Japanese scenes. Other articles in this issue deal with Maki-e lacquer items, Netsuke carvers and Namikawa Sosuke. To see the cover of this issue, click here.

Tamio, Ikeda
Gallery Tamakaya (illustrations):
Georges Bigot's Passion for Japan, published in Daruma, Japanese Art & Antiques Magazine, Issue 35, Vol. 9, No. 3, Summer 2002, Japan, 8vo, illustrated stiff wraps, 58 pp. The article on Georges Bigot covers pages 38 to 45. It is illustrated with 16 images. An informative and finely illustrated discussion of the French artist, Georges Bigot, with the primary focus on the 17+ years (1882-1899) he spent in Japan. An important reference work for the collector of Bigot's work. Several of the illustrations reflect Bigot's work in the satirical "Toba-e" form of sketch art. Other articles in this issue deal with Japanese Combs and Hairpins and Japanese Ceramic Tea Jars. To see the cover of this issue, click here.

Shimizu, Isao (editor):
Bigo Sobyoshu, Iwanami Bunko (2003) and Zoku Bigo Sobyoshu, Iwanami Bunko (2001), Tokyo, Iwanami Shoten.

Images de L'ere -- Le Monde de Georges Bigot, un Artiste Francqis au Japon, ("Images of the Meiji Era - The World of Georges Bigot, a French Artist in Japan"), 2002, Kawasaki, Japan, Yamakawa Company, 4to, soft cover with illustrated dust jacket, 192 pp. Extensively illustrated in color and black and white. Covers Bigot's works in France before and after 20 years in Japan as well as his books, drawings, sketches and paintings while in Japan. Also provides biographical information on Bigot. In Japanese except for some captions to images which also include the English translation. A comprehensive review of Bigots work including his paintings, drawings (many published in The Graphic, La Vie Moderne and Journal des Voyages), satirical art and books. To see the dust jacket, click here. ISBN 4-634-60590-2.