the background printed with sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the series title cartouche in gold pigment in the upper right margin with the print title to the left with the first portion, Yoshitoshi no, in the style of Yoshitoshi's signature, and a grotesque Okame representing the 'bakemono' in the title, signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's skull-shaped seal representing the demon Oiwa which forms the letters Binnie, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. July 2004

dai oban tate-e 16 7/8 by 11 5/8 in., 43 by 29.5 cm

The central tattoo on the figure's back is derived from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's (1839-1892) Mount Yoshino midnight-moon –Iga no Tsubone (Mount Yoshino midnight-moon –Iga no Tsubone (Yoshinoyama yowa no tsuki –Iga no Tsubone), 1886, from his series, One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi). Binnie depicts the winged ghost with bloody embellishments, and playfully removes what was in Yoshitoshi's original design the title cartouche from the demon's hand and replaces it with the beauty Iga no Tsubone's severed head. On the figure's left hip, Binnie depicts the shrieking red demon of Yoshitoshi's 1889 Sadanobu Threatening a Demon in the Palace at Night (Sadanobu-ko yoru kyuchu ni kai o osoreshimu no zu) from the series New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts (Shinkei Sanjurokkaisen). Finally, rising from the censor's smoke is the ghost of Yugao, Genji's mysterious lover, from Yoshitoshi's 1886 The Yugao Chapter from the Tale of Genji (Genji Yugao no maki), which is also from the One Hundred Aspects of the Moon series.

Reference:
Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 118, no. 81

the background printed with sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the series title cartouche in gold pigment in the upper right margin, the print title to the left with the first portion, Utamaro no, in the style of Utamaro's signature, followed by a picture of a kissing couple representing 'shunga' of the title, signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, followed by artist's butterfly seal comprised of the letters Binnie, pencil numbered and signed on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. January 2005

ai oban tate-e 17 by 11 3/4 in., 43.3 by 30 cm

The beauty's back tattoo is derived from one of the compositions included in Kitagawa Utamaro's (1753-1806) 1802 Picture book: Pulling Komachi (Ehon Komachi-biki), an illustrated album of shunga, pictorial erotic art. Binnie preserved the woman's flowing purple robe and sideways posture but removed the mirror by which, in Utamaro's original image, she was fixing her hair. Instead, Binnie provides an unobstructed view of her long hair, while hiding the erotic act (suggested by the man's hand reaching down) on the far side of the model's back.

Of all of the designs in the Edo Ink series, this (and its red-ground counterpart, Engawa) has been the most popular. It seems only appropriate that Binnie's print paying homage to Utamaro, arguably the most successful ukiyo-e bijin artist, would likewise be one of Binnie's most successful works.

References:
Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 121, no. 84
The British Museum, www.thebritishmuseum.org, no. OA+,0.118

the background printed with sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the spray of water meeting the figure's back is highlighted with a spattering of white gofun which varies from print to print, the series title cartouche in gold pigment in the upper right margin, the print title to the left, with the first portion, Hokusai no, in the style of Hokusai's signature, followed by a picture of a waterfall representing 'taki' in the title, signed in gold kanji at lower left, Bin-ni, followed by artist's red seal in the shape of a barrel (ready to go over the falls) that is comprised of the letters Binnie, pencil numbered and signed on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. April 2006

dai oban tate-e 16 3/4 by 12 in., 42.5 by 30.5 cm

Binnie seamlessly integrates three compositions from the circa 1832 series A Journey to the Waterfalls in All the Provinces (Shokoku Taki Meguri) by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). The tattoo on the figure's left shoulder, consisting of a circular water source and the sheer vertical drop of the falls is derived from Hokusai's Amida Waterfall on the Kisokaido Road (Kisoji no oku Amidagataki). Binnie removed the yellow-green hills and bluffs which surround the falls in Hokusai's original image, including just the Prussian blue surroundings which meets the images from Hokusai's Horse-Washing Falls (Wahu Yoshino Yoshitsune uma arai no taki) and Kirifuri Waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke (Shimotsuke Kurokamiyama Kirifuri no taki). Amidst the rush of water, the artist prominently preserves the original horse-washing motif. The barrel-shaped artist's seal is not a reference to Hokusai, but rather is a playful allusion to the Western trope of falling down a waterfall in a barrel.

References:
Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 129, no. 92

the background printed with sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls and mica on the tip of the sword; the series title cartouche in gold in the upper right margin, the print title to the left with the first portion, Kunisada no, in the style of Kunisada's signature, and the head of a kabuki actor with the face paint of Danjuro's quintessential Shibaraku ('wait a moment') role representing the 'Danjuro' portion of the title, signed at lower right in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's red seal Binnie surrounded by the mimasu (3 rice measures) crest of the Danjuro family, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. July 2006

dai oban tate-e 16 7/8 by 12 1/4 in., 43 by 31.1 cm

The model holds a traditional Japanese sword, mimicking the posture of the kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII (1791-1859) as featured on the figure's back tattoo. The tattoo is based on the right sheet of a triptych and depicts Danjuro with his distinctive large eyes and strong jawline. The actor is in the role of Sano Jirozaemon from the play Kakitsubata iro mo Edo-zome which was staged at the Kawarazaki Theater in the 5th lunar month of 1815. Danjuro VII was perhaps the most famous actor of the late Edo Period, and set the standard for a number of prominent roles including the title role known for its pinnacle scene, Wait a Moment! (Shibaraku!), whose visage is depicted in the title cartouche. Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III, 1786-1865) was popular for his kabuki compositions, and frequently depicted Danjuro VII over the course of his career.

References:
Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past - The First 100 Japanese Prints, 2007, p. 132, no. 95
Waseda University Theater Museum, enpaku.waseda.ac.jp, accession no. 101-3394

the background with overlapping bands of grey to dark grey baren sujizuri steam, a nude beauty holds a sponge to her chest as water highlighted with mica streams down her body, the series title cartouche in gold pigment on the upper right margin, the print title to the left with the first portion, Harunobu no, in the style of Harunobu's signature, and a picture of a tub of water for 'Furo' of the title, signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's seal in the shape of a towel on a stand that forms the letters Binnie, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. September 2007

dai oban tate-e 16 7/8 by 11 3/4 in., 42.9 by 29.9 cm

The figure tattooed on the model's right upper arm is derived from Suzuki Harunobu's (1725-1770) circa 1767-68 Two Women Washing Their Hair composition. Binnie isolates the right-hand figure and her washbasin from the original composition, placing her in tattoo-form on the shoulder of a seated beauty who squeezes water out of a sponge held to her chest while surrounded by clouds of steam.

Reference:
Harvard Art Museum, www.harvardartmuseums.org, no. 1933.4.2604

printed with bold sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the tattoo based on an ukiyo-e print by Kiyonaga depicting a bijin taping an icicle, represented here by silver mica earing worn by the beauty, the series title cartouche in gold in the upper right margin, Edo zumi hyaku shoku, the print title to the left with the first portion, Kiyonaga no, in the style of Kiyongaga's signature, followed by a 'kiseru' (tobacco pipe), signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's red seal Binnie in the shape of a kiseru, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. May 2010

dai oban tate-e 17 by 12 in., 43.2 by 30.5 cm

In this design, Binnie contrasts the beautiful figure with a tattoo derived from Torii Kiyonaga's (1752-1815) Knocking Icicles from the Eaves from circa 1786. In the original print, the bijin holds a long tobacco pipe with which she knocks icicles from the eaves of a house. Playfully, Binnie gives the model an icy earing, which the tattooed bijin attempts to knock from the earlobe.

Reference:
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, www.mfa.org, no. 11.13877

the background printed with bold sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, a view of a seated nude from behind, she leans on her left hand while raising her right hand to touch her coiffure in the takashimada ('high Shimada') style, the tattoo based on an ukiyo-e print by Eisen depicting a courtesan rolling a letter; the series title cartouche in bronze-gold in the upper right margin, Edo zumi hyaku shoku, the print title to the left with the first portion, Eisen no, in the style of Eisen's signature, followed by a small aizuri-e (all blue print) of the original composition from which the tattoo is derived, signed in bronze-gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's red seal Binnie in the shape of a baren (the essential pad used by a woodblock printer to work the pigments into the paper), numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. July 2011

dai oban tate-e 17 by 12 in., 43.1 by 30.5 cm

Binnie references the short-lived but highly influential fashion for aizuri-e (all blue) prints. With the arrival of an aniline dye (commonly known as Prussian blue) imported from Europe in the early 19th century, azuri-e prints exploded onto the print market. Unlike the natural pigments previously used for blue in print-making, this synthetic one was strong, vibrant, intense, and stable. The availability of such an appealing color inspired the tremendously successful landscape series, Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), essentially creating an entirely new and seemingly insatiable market for landscape prints. Keisai Eisen (1790-1848), one of the leading bijin-ga artists at the time, also produced landscapes utilizing the new blue pigment. In fact, there is a scarce (if not unique) fan print by Eisen dated 1829 in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum of Art which is thought to be the earliest dateable aizuri-e.

The Binnie seal in the shape of a baren is a play on the print title, ai-ZURI-e (blue printed picture), thus the baren is the tool used for 'suri' (printing).

the background printed with bold sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, a view of a seated male nude from behind, the tattoo based on a Sharaku okubi-e of the kabuki actor Otani Oniji holding his hands outward with the fingers spread open; the series title cartouche in the upper right margin, the print title to the left with the first portion, Sharaku no, in the style of Sharaku's signature followed by a detail from a Sharaku okubi-e, signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's seal in the form of a self-caricature made up of the letters in his name, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. 2011

dai oban tate-e 16 7/8 by 12 1/8 in., 42.8 by 30.9 cm

The back tattoo is derived from Toshusai Sharaku's (active 1794-95) portrait of the kabuki actor Otani Oniji III (Nakamura Nakazo II, 1759-1796) in the role of the Yakko ('manservant') Edohei from the play The Colored Reins of a Loving Wife (Koi nyobo somewake tazuna) published in the 6th lunar month of 1794. Yakko were henchmen to the samurai who could be relied upon to carry out their bidding, including violent and nefarious deeds. Otani Oniji's scowling expression and his body language as he leans forward menacingly with his hands greedily outstretched embodies the wickedness of the role of Edohei. The gesture of his wide-spread fingers is mimicked by the gesture of Binnie's nude model who holds his open hands near his head as if he has been startled.

Reference:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org, no. JP2822

the background printed with sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the series title cartouche printed in gold at upper right, Edo zumi hyaku shoku, the print title to the left with the first portion Hiroshige no, in the style of Hiroshige's signature, followed by a small landscape with Mount Fuji and pine trees, signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni with artist's red seal Binnie in the shape of a fish kite, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 90/100 Paul Binnie, ca. 2015

dai oban tate-e 16 5/8 by 12 1/8 in., 42.1 by 30.9 cm

In the final design for this series, Binnie portrays the same model, Akiko, that he used for the first female nude Edo Ink design, Utamaro's Erotica (Utamaro no shunga), which was released a decade earlier. The central tattoo on the back of this nude is derived from one of the most iconic works of ukiyo-e, Sudden Shower at Ohashi Bridge (Ohashi Atke no yudachi), from the landmark series, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Edo Meisho Hyakkei) by the great 19th century landscape artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). Other elements taken from the same Edo Meisho series are the tattoo of an eagle on the woman's shoulders which is derived from Plain at Suzaki, Fukagawa (Fukagawa, Suzaki, Jumantsubo), the pale rose colored cloth she demurely holds at her hips which references the design of Plum Estate, Kameido (Kameido Umeyashiki), and the red artist's seal in the shape of a carp, which references the boy's day kites featured in the view of Suido Bridge and Surugadai. The background is decorated with diagonal lines of stylized rain and dark baren suji-zuri swirls at the top edge, cleverly alluding to the black bokashi storm clouds found on deluxe impressions of Ohashi Bridge.

Reference:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org, nos. JP2520 and JP643