Japanese Woodblock Print, 1940s

SIZE IN INCHES: 10 x 7 inches

COMMENTS: The main attraction of the momiji (maple tree) garden of the Kitano Tenmangu shrine in Kyoto is the arched red bridge crossing the Tenjin River. Positioned in a great spot, and being the only place in the garden where you can cross the river, it is wonderfully illuminated in late autumn, the only short period when the garden is open until nightfall.

TOKURIKI TOMIKICHIRO'S (1902-2000) woodblock prints are an important bridge between the two great movements of Japanese art in the early twentieth century; shin hanga and sosaku hanga. Like the classic shin hanga masters of the day, Tokuriki designed many woodcuts of landscapes and city views in the traditional manner. Yet he actively promoted sosaku-hanga (creative prints) in Kyoto, which emphasized the artist’s participation in the entire process of printmaking and the exploration of more modern styles and trends.

After WWII Tokuriki set up his own publishing company called Matsukyu and began to teach block-carving to artisans and artists, many of them foreigners. He also wrote extensively on the technique of woodblock carving and printing. He traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe and in the 1960s he opened several exhibitions of his works in major U.S. cities such as, New York, Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

VG, minor flaws