Vieil Aino, Chikabumi, Hokkaido - Paul Jacoulet

Artist
Paul Jacoulet (1902–1960)

Title
Old Ainu Man, Chikabumi, Hokkaido, Japan (Vieil Aïno, Chikabumi, Hokkaido, Japon)

Date
1950

Medium
Original Japanese color woodblock print with mica and embossing

Format
Dai-ōban

Paper Size
Approximately 17.125 × 13.625 inches

Description

This original Japanese woodblock print was designed by Paul Jacoulet in 1950 and depicts an elderly Ainu man from Chikabumi in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Jacoulet presents his sitter at close range, giving extraordinary attention to his flowing white hair and beard, weathered face, and boldly patterned robe. The restrained palette and shimmering dark mica background give the portrait a quiet monumentality, while extensive embossing adds texture and dimension to the man's hair and beard. The result is an unusually intimate and dignified portrait and a striking example of the technical sophistication of Jacoulet's postwar work. Museum collections identify the subject as an Ainu man from Chikabumi, Hokkaido.

Inscriptions & Edition Details

• Title: Vieil Aïno, Chikabumi, Hokkaido, Japon — "Old Ainu Man, Chikabumi, Hokkaido, Japan"
• Artist: Paul Jacoulet
• Date: 1950
• Edition: Edition of 350 but number is missing on the verso
• Signature: Pencil signed by Paul Jacoulet
• Carver: Maeda Kentarō
• Printer: Honda Tetsunosuke
• Special Techniques: Mica embellishment and detailed embossing
• Reference: Richard Miles, The Prints of Paul Jacoulet, no. 108

Condition

Fair. Moderate overall toning and discoloration consistent with age, with more pronounced toning and scattered foxing along the margins. Light handling wear and occasional creasing are present, with minor edge and corner wear. The image remains strong, with the mica background and detailed embossing of the hair and beard still visible. Inscriptions are present in the lower margin. Pencil signature is faded. 

About the Artist

Paul Jacoulet (1902–1960) was a French-born artist who spent most of his life in Japan and became one of the most distinctive figures in twentieth-century Japanese woodblock printmaking. Working within the traditional collaborative system of Japanese print production, Jacoulet created technically elaborate portraits distinguished by rich color, unusual pigments, mica, embossing, and exceptionally fine carving and printing. His subjects frequently came from Japan, Korea, China, and the Pacific islands, reflecting his extensive travels and interest in the people and traditional cultures of the region. Today his prints are held by major museum collections in Japan, Europe, and the United States.

About the Print

Jacoulet created companion portraits of an Old Ainu Man and Old Ainu Woman at Chikabumi, Hokkaido, in 1950. Chikabumi, near Asahikawa, was home to an important Ainu community, and Jacoulet's portraits focus closely on the individuals rather than treating them as figures within a larger landscape. This design is particularly notable for its sophisticated printing: the slate-gray background incorporates mica, while the man's enormous beard is rendered with extensive embossing that gives the paper a sculptural quality. A catalogued Heritage impression measures 18¾ × 14 inches and carries an edition seal of 350 on the verso.