A DELUXE GRAND-SIZE BROADSIDE KOREAN FOLK-ART COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT DEPICTING A

[Korea ca. 1940-50's]. DeLuxe sheet, color woodblock printed in 7 colors on Korean "Hanja/Hanji," handmade mulberry paper 34.8 x 45.7 cm., green cotton mounting, gold border, very nice example, unsigned as usual. . *** **** *** . . . A DELUXE GRAND BROADSHEET NINE-COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT . . . . DEPICTING RURAL KOREAN LIFE STYLE AND ACTIVITIES . . * This is an exceptionally large single-broadsheet, nine-color woodblock print. Printed in brown, green, pink, dark brown, red, gray, ochre, yellow & black. Printing blocks of this size are quite rare and seldom used, therefore it was a Deluxe example, honoring the peasant and their rural life style. . The scene depicts a typical Korean farm house, with several family members engaged in typical activities. . From the upper left, progressing downwards: a. Man at the wooden loom weaving cloth b. Woman in open Cheollik, preparing to nurse a young child c. A woman sewing a red cloth d. A woman holding a tea pot e. Two men working on a wood table or stretching fibers f. A man holding a plate g. A man holding an object h. A woman in the kitchen, cooking . The domestic rural scent shows a "bird's eye view" of the inside of the fenced yard and interiors of the houses with grass [rice straw] thatched roof. The entry gate is open showing a lively scene of family members at their daily toil and tasks. . *** RARITY: This example is an unusually large, Deluxe broadside, with nine colors. Due to its grand size and large number of different colors, they remain obscure and illusive. Early examples of this size of "Korean Folk Art" are seldom found on the market. . *** CONDITION: . The work was formerly adhered to a kind of Korean screen with a wood backing, the print not adhered, but 'free floating' which is typical of this native Korean mounting technique. The print was expertly and gently removed from the wooden backing without issues to the print or mounting. . The edge of the green cotton cloth mounting was adhered to the frame edges, and remains the original vivid 'mandarin green' color, this cloth was also gently 'lifted' and removed from the frame. There is some of the usual fading to the mounting cloth facing the front, giving the overall impression of an 'aged' work. This cloth can be easily removed when reframing, or kept intact and matted anyway one desires. There is a small stain in the lower left mounting material, which does not detract from the image whatsoever. This could be either trimmed or matted out. . At the edge of the print is a 2mm. gold paper border, over which the green mounting cloth was applied. Overall quite an impressive look! . The woodblock print verso is clean, without mark or stain, there are what appears to be three period very minor mends, restorations or reinforcements, impossible to know. These are not visible from the recto, otherwise the print is free from any detractions or negative issues. . The print is by and large clean, a few minor colorless scuffs else a very attractive example. . The work is suitable for matting, framing and display. This print could be easily rolled for shipping. . Please review the color photos posted to our website. . *** REFERENCES: Please see various Emille Museum catalogs for similar items or on the essence of Korean folk paintings, subjects prints & that genre. . *** .