Framed Woodblock Print La Lettre du Fils Coree Early Version by Paul Jacoulet

A Japanese Woodblock print by Paul Jacoulet (French, 1896-1960) entitled La Lettre Du Fils, Seoul, Coree (The Son's Letter). Created in 1938, this print was carved by Maeda and printed by Ogawa. This appears to be an earlier impression indicated by presence of the full original title on the lower right margin as shown (The Son's Letter, Asking for Money in French). The later prints only show The Son's Letter and mostly on the lower left margin.
The fine print is considered as the first narrative theme in Jacoulet's work featuring a domestic scene that tells a story. The older couple, sitting by the window, reading their son's letter. The vignette in the window appears misty printed without key-block outline. The black horsehair hat and the robe the father wears showcase engravings using a fine mesh gauffrage/embossing.
The print is signed in plate with the artist's red ink tea jar stamp on the lower right. The printed full title is in the lower right margin. The carver's and printer's seals are in the lower left margin. It is marked no. 345/350 and a collector's catalog number Verso. The image size is 13 x 17 in.
It should be noted that Jacoulet may have not pulled his print in the order of his edition number due to his complicated and eccentric numbering system.
Reference: No 49 "The Prints of Paul Jacoulet: A Complete Illustrated Catalog by Richard Miles.

An eccentric artist of his time, Paul Jacoulet was born in France but lived most his life in Japan. He is considered as one of the few western artists who have mastered the art of woodblock printing sufficiently to be recognized in Japan. Largely rooted in traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques and ukiyo-e style, the artist developed a unique and recognizable style infused with his own aesthetic vision and technical approaches that set himself apart from Japanese artists. Nearly all portraits, Jacoulet depicted a wide range of people he encountered in his extensive travelling in the Far East as well as South Pacific. Often in their traditional outfits and surrounded by endogenous flora and props, his models often convey a more western sense of pose, with some directly confronting the viewers. Jacoulet occupies a special place in the world of ukiyo-e, the artist formed a bridge between the East and West.