Sosaku Hanga - The sosaku hanga or creative print movement in Japan began in the early part of the twentieth century. Unlike the traditional collaborative woodblock printing process utilizing a separate artist, carver, and printer along with a publisher, the sosaku hanga movement emphasized artist involvement in designing, carving, and printing the blocks himself, as the sole creator of his work. The movement gained popularity following World War II, earning international acclaim and expanding subject matter to include abstraction. Today most contemporary Japanese print artists design, carve, and print their woodblocks themselves, continuing the vibrant creative tradition established with ukiyo-e. Sosaku hanga prints encompass a wide range of subjects and expressive artistic styles, and are a great choice for a collector interested in modern and contemporary prints.

Comments - Gijin Okuyama was the son of prolific 20th century printmaker Gihachiro Okuyama, and he took over his father's woodblock publishing business after Gihachiro's death in 1981. This image is from his sosaku hanga series "The History of Coffee," marking notable events and dates in the development of the coffee trade. An interesting image, pencil signed and dated 1990.

Artist - Gijin Okuyama (born 1934)

Image Size - 4 5/8" x 7" + margins as shown

Condition - Excellent overall with no issues to report.