Oliver Statler/Kikai Japanese Creative Prints

Kikai Sosaku-hanga
Modern Japanese Prints
Special Feature　Oliver Statler

Please click on image for larger view

Special Feature　Oliver Statler

　The woodblock prints in this room are

introduced in 'Modern Japanese Prints',

written by Oliver Statler in 1956. This

was the first book to present a compre-

hensive map of the world of Japanese

creative hanga. The author's love of and

connoisseurship in this genre of art has

helped us for half a century as the most

enlightening and encouraging guide.



	Translated version of 'Modern Japanese
	.Prints' in Japanese
	.Reifu-shobo　2009　(\2,990)
	.TEL 03-5343-2315　(Tokyo)

.Inagaki　Tmo-o　

" Lamp "

.woodblock print　1954

.53.2 x 41.0 cm　23/50　signed

.Other works by Inagaki Tmoo

	INAGAKI　TOMO-O　(1902-1980 )
	Born in Tokyo in 1902, Inagaki started to contribute his woodblock works for
	the magazine 'Poems and Prints' in1923. This challenge acquainted him with
	Onchi Koshiro and enabled him to learn a great deal from this giant in hanga.
	His work was first exhibited in the 6th Exhibition of the Sosaku-hanga Asso-
	ciation in 1924. 'Modern Japanese Prints' by Oliver Statler 1957, the first
	book to introduce Sosaku-hanga on the international scale, aroused the world-
	wide interest in this genre of art.　Inagaki's 'Cat making up' was selected to
	decorate the front cover, which helped to bring him international fame.

.Mabuchi　Thoru (Toru)

' Afternoon Sun '

.woodblock print　1953　5/10

.54.5 x 74.5 cm　signed in pencil

.Other works by Mabuchi Toru


	.MABUCHI　TORU (Thoru)　(1920-1994 )
	.Born in Tokyo as the first son to the cut-grain wood engraver Mabuchi Rokutaro,
	Toru learned woodblock printing under Hiratsuka Un'ichi during his student years
	in Tokyo.School of Art. In 1960 he joined Munakata Shiko and Maekawa Sempan
	.to establish Japan Hanga Society, and worked as president since 1981 until his
	.last years.
	.

.Shimozawa　Kihachiro

'Ikarigaseki'

.woodblock print　1949

.23.2 x 33.4 cm　

.signed in brush and ink

Other works by Shimozawa Kihachiro

	SHIMOZAWA　KIHACHIRO　(1901 - 1986 )
	1901	Born in Hirosaki City in Aomori prefecture .
	1916	His enthusiasm for art brought him far down south to Tokyo, where he
		worked for Chuo Bijutsusha (Central Art Publishing).
	1921	He got acquainted with Ishii Hakutei and started to paint in oil, water-
		color and tempera. During the1921-22 period, he had to be enrolled in
		the artillery and returned nearly deaf.
	1924	Around 1924, introduced by Ishii Hakutei, he started to learn woodcut
		techniques under Hiratsuka Un'ichi.
	1927	He became member of the Hanga Association.
		Besides woodblock printing he also composed Haiku poems.

	Shimozawa says, 'The coldest winter bites my soul but brings the warmest
	joy when a scene is printed beautifully snowbound' (1949)

.Yamaguchi　Susumu　

' Taisho-ike '

.woodblock print　1952　

.43.5 x 58.7 cm　signed in pencil

Other works by Yamaguchi Susumu

	YAMAGUCHI　SUSUMU　(1897-1983 )
	1897	Born in Ina, Nagano prefecture in 1897.
	1912	At the age of 15 he made his first attempt in woodblock printing using
		his father's worn out wooden clogs as the blocks.
	1923	His work was first exhibited in the 5th Exhibition of the Sosaku-hanga
		Association
		His mountain prints have established reputation for their dynamism and
		profoundness. As for the theme 'mountain', Azechi and Maeda can perhaps
		compete with him, while as for 'soaked-wet printing' , the printing tech-
		nique of his own devising, had influence even upon Onchi Koshiro.

.Sasajima　Kihei　

' Early Winter in the Mountains '

.woodcut　1947　AP

.38.5 x 50.3 cm　signed in pencil

Other works by Sasajima Kihei

SASAJIMA　KIHEI　(1906-1993)

1906

Born in the pottery town of Mashiko, Tochigi prefecture.

1936

He attended a course given by Hiratsuka Un'ichi and was fascinated with

the world of black and white woodblock prints.

1937

Hamada Shoji, a well-known potter living in Mashiko,introduced him to

Munakata Shiko, giving him the great oppotunity because he had always

admired Munakata's works for their feeling of incredible liberty.

1952

He joined Munakata Shiko and Shimozawa Kihachiro to form Nihon Hanga-in.

.Maekawa　Sempan　

'Kyoto Flower Vender'

.woodblock print　1951

.37.0 x 29.0 cm

.sealed .Maekaea Sempan

.Maekawa　Sempan

'A Spa'

.woodblock print　.1949

.47.0 x 41.0 cm 　

.sealed .Maekaea Sempan

Other works by Maekaea Sempan

	MAEKAWA　SEMPAN　(1888 -1960 )
	Born in Kyoto in 1888. He was first fascinated with the woodblock prints by
	Minami Kunzo and this led him into the world of hanga. In 1919 his work was
	exhibited in the 1st Exhibition of the Sosaku-hanga Association.
	His long quest for Sosaku-hanga, always marked by the warmth of his sincere
	personality, was carried on until he died at the age of 72 in 1960.
	He is now counted among the three giants of Sosaku-hanga together with Onchi
	and Hiratsuka.

.Hiratsuka　Un'ichi　

'Rakan Temple in the Rain'

.woodblock print　1935

.34.9 x 29.3 cm　sealed

Other works by Hiratsuka Un'ichi

	HIRATSUKA　UN'ICHI　(1895 -1997 )
	Born in Matsue City in 1895. On the advice of Ishii Hakutei, his master in the fine
	arts, he learned the carving techniques under Igami Bonkotsu, a renowned carver.
	Hiratsuka himself was later called a master carver. .In 1921 his work was first
	exhibited in the 3rd Exhibition of the Sosaku-hanga Association.
	Throughout his long career he never spared any effort to promote this genre of art.
	He not only worked as a lecturer at the government academy, Tokyo School of Fine
	Arts, but he also started lectures and workshops throughout the country, thus cul-
	tivating the soil on which grew many talents. Among them we find Munakata Shiko
	as well as Azechi Umetaro, Maeda Masao and Shimozawa Kihachiro..The latter three
	were called the three outstanding talents in the Hiratsuka school.
	Un'ichi's passion for hanga never waned until his death at the age of 102 in 1997.

.Kitaoka　Fumio　

'Still Life on a Table(A)'

.woodblock print　1949　

.35.5 x 45.0 cm　signed on woodblock

Other works by Kitaoka Fumio

	.KITAOKA　FUMIO　(1918 -2007 )
	1918	Kitaoka Fumio was born in Tokyo in 1918.
	1939	He learned woodblock printing under Hiratsuka Un'ichi during his student
		years in Tokyo School of Fine Arts, and in the same year his work was
		first admitted entry for the 8th Exhibition of Japan Hanga Association.
	1942	He joined the 'Kitsutsuki-kai' group led by Hiratsuka and in 1943 became
		member of the Hanga Association.
	1944	He joined the 'Ichimoku-kai' group whose leader was Onchi Koshiro.
	1955	He went to France and met Hasegawa Kiyoshi, who became his third great
		teacher.
	1964-6	During the 1964-65 period, he taught woodblock printing at Minneapolis
		School of Art and at New York Brat Graphic Art Center as a Fulbright
		exchange professor.
	2007	He passed away on April 22 at the age of 89

.Hatsuyama　Shigeru　

'The White Horse'

.woodblock print　1948

.24.0 x 33.0 cm　

Other works by Hatsuyama Shigeru

	HATSUYAMA　SHIGERU　( 1897-1973 )
	Born in Asakusa district, Tokyo, he learned at the age of ten the traditional
	Yamoto-e painting from Kano Tanrei.　He then worked in a dye house, where
	he made full use of his drawing ability.　In1919 he started to draw pictures
	for children when the magazine " The World of Fairy Tales " was published.
	His fairy tale picures, with delicate lines and decorative compositions, were
	soon hily valued.　He started woodblock printing in the 1930s.

.Shinagawa　Takumi　

'Stone Buddha'

.woodblock print　1951　

.50.0 x 57.4 cm　signed in pencil

Other works by .Shinagawa Takumi


	SINAGAWA　TAKUMI　(1908-2009 )
	1908	Born in Niigata.
	1935	He first learned metal engraving and in this year he had a chance to show
		Onchi Koshiro some of his experimental objects made of paper.
		Onchi appeared to like them and advised him to express the ideas in hanga.
		Thus started his career as a hanga artist.