Memories of the East by Hideo Hagiwara
This is a woodblock print titled Memories of the East by noted Sōsaku-hanga artist Hideo Hagiwara. It is abstract, although the title provides some context. The piece is almost monochromatic, although close inspection reveals subtle use of black and grey. The dominant element is a large open circle with a small vertical mark to the left. The overall impression is one of calligraphy, although not in a formal sense. In calligraphy, a hand-drawn open circle (Ensō) is associated with the Zen mind , often symbolizing unity, wholeness, perfection, and infinite possibility. an open circle emphasizes the beauty of imperfection, another common theme in Eastern art. All of this is implied by the title. A fascinatingly complex set of ideas captured through a simple image. The technical skill required to create a gestural circle in the medium of woodblock printed speaks to his mastery of the technique. This really shows the innovation and creativity of Hagiwara. The image is 17 x 11 inches. It is framed and matted and the materials appear to be archival. The framed size is 25 x 20 inches. The print itself is in excellent condition without fading, staining, foxing, tears, or paper loss. It is signed and dated in pencil in English lower left and titled in English and Japanese lower center. The edition 8/50 is lower center. It was created in 1963. A simple but brilliant example of Hagiwara's work.
Hideo Hagiwara (1913-2007) Hideo Hagiwara was a renowned Japanese printmaker whose career encompassed most of the 20th century. He was a prominent leader of the Sōsaku-hanga ("creative prints") movement of woodblock printing which, in contrast to prior printmaking movements in Japan, held that the artist should be the sole creator motivated by a desire for self-expression, and advocated principles of art that is "self-drawn" (自画 jiga), "self-carved" (自刻 jikoku) and "self-printed" (自摺 jizuri). Hagiwara studied at the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts. After the war his career was characterized by innovations in printmaking that heavily influenced contemporary and subsequent generations of Japanese printmakers. His reputation expanded beyond Japan helped by a feature article in Time Magazine in 1959. In addition to his creative work, he held the prestigious position of Chief Director of the Japan Print Association from 1979-2000. He received many awards most notably a Purple Ribbon Medal from the Japanese Government in 1983 and a Gold Medal from the Nobel Prize Committee in 1989. One of his most famous works is a series of 50 prints of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji has been a favored subject of Japanese artists for hundreds of years, so this series reflects not only Hagiwara’s innovative printmaking, but pays homage to the long tradition of printmaking in Japan. His work is held in important collections all over the world including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the New South Wales Art Gallery, Sidney, and the Vienna National Museum of Art.
Price: $650
Framed Size: 25 x 20 inches
Plate Size: 17 x 11 inches
Condition: Excellent
Medium: Wood Block Print
Subject: Japanese/Chinese Subjects
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