Kiyoshi Saito - Kiyoshi Saito was one of the greatest masters of the "sosaku hanga" or "creative print" movement in Japan, which emphasized artist involvement in designing, carving, and printing the blocks himself, as the sole creator of his work. In 1951, Saito earned international recognition with an award at the first Sao Paulo Art Biennal. Saito is known for his use of simplified forms and refined color palettes, emphasizing texture and shape and utilizing the impression of the wood grain. These bold and somewhat abstract modern works are simple and direct, reducing nature to its essentials. Saito exhibited widely and his works are held in the collections of many international museums.

Tokyo Contemporary Collection - This print is from a large group of contemporary prints we recently purchased in Tokyo. With designs from a range of artists, including some famous and rare designs, this is the largest group of contemporary Japanese prints we have ever offered.

Comments - Handsome view of a farmer plowing a rice field with an ox, wading through the water. A few plants dot the foreground, while a sleepy village frames the scene along the diagonal of the edge of the field. The buildings are rendered in rich tones of gray and brown with blocks of white and black. A green tree rises above a rooftop at right, while two other bare trees and a telephone pole provide vertical contrasts to the landscape. The red-brown harness of the ox and the blue gray sky add subtle color. Beautifully textured. A terrific Saito design.

Signed - Kiyoshi Saito in black ink within image near lower left, with red artist's seal

Artist - Kiyoshi Saito (1907 - 1997)

Image Size - 10 1/8" x 15 1/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. A few light creases at edges, paper slightly curled. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.