JAPAN -- Taishō, Shōwa, and Heisei Eras
(after 1912)
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The Work:
Potted Chrysanthemum Bonsai, an 11-3/4"H woodblock print on Mulberry paper with deckled margins and Uchida watermark,
of a full-cascading specimen in a tall dark blue glazed pot atop a black lacquer stand about as tall as the pot. The bottom
portion of the pot is whitish and blends upwards. The plant is in full bloom and rises from a mossy mound.
The Artist: Nisaburo Ito (1910 - 1988) was one of the well-known Kyoto artists from the mid-20th century interested in promoting the art of the woodblock print and interpreting traditional woodblock images in a 20th century style. His beautiful landscapes and nature subjects captured the attention of those looking to preserve a memory of the classic architecture and natural locals that were quickly modernizing in the mid-20th century. His works are tranquil reminders of the beauty of traditional Japan that pull the viewer into the print to experience the wonderful scenery. His floral subjects are beautiful large wood block prints and are excellent to collect or perfect for botanical displays. Ito was a student of Tsuchida Bakusen at the Kyoto City Specialist School of Painting. His publisher was Uchida.1
The Work:
Potted Chrysanthemum (11-3/4" x 17-1/2") is in a white wide-footed shallow oval pot, with moss-covered soil rising up slightly above the pot's
rim but below the rim near the edges. A thin twin-trunked tree in bloom, informal upright bending slightly to the left.
The pot is positioned right of center on a blackish rectangular board with rounded edges. The apex of the tree is approximately
XX times the diameter of one of the blossoms.
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1. Correctly identified in e-mail to RJB from Marc Zimmerman, 01 Dec 2012, per Fuji Arts website. Had been incorrectly identified in e-mail to RJB from Daniel Dolan 04 Nov 2009 as a work of Eiichi Kotozuka. Dolan stated that most sources label this work incorrectly as "The Jade Tree"; The Complete Practical Encyclopedia of Bonsai by Ken Norman (London: Hermes House, an imprint of Anness Publishing Ltd.; 2005, 2006), pg. 13 captioned "Late 19th-century [sic] Japanese woodblock print of a Chrysanthemum bonsai in the cascade style." B&w version also found in Bonsai Magazine, BCI, Vol. XIX, No. 5, June 1980, pg. 165, with caption "Another of the wood block prints from the collection of Lee Roberts, artist and jewelry designer." 2. E-mails to RJB from Daniel Dolan 16 Nov 2009 ; "Peony by Nisaburo Ito (1910 - 1988)," http://www.fujiarts.com/cgi-bin/item.pl?item=2236 ; "Nisaburo ITO - 1910-1988," http://www.artelino.com/forum/artists.asp?act=&art=283&alp=n&cay=1&cp=1&sea=&tie=Nisaburo+Ito+1910-1988 ; The Complete Practical Encyclopedia of Bonsai by Ken Norman (London: Hermes House, an imprint of Anness Publishing Ltd.; 2005, 2006), pg. 10 captioned "Late 19th-century [sic] Japanese woodblock print of a Chrysanthemum bonsai in the twin-trunk style." Image also at "Volunteer Information Party," Marblehead Festival of Arts, http://www.marbleheadfestival.org/history/2004/vip_2004/vip_2004.html . B&w version also found in Bonsai Magazine, BCI, Vol. XIX, No. 7, September 1980, pg. 239, with caption "Another wood block print from the collection of Lee Roberts, the well-known artist in silver and gold jewelry." |
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