Gihachiro Okuyama - A prolific artist, Gihachiro Okuyama was active in both the shin-hanga and sosaku hanga traditions starting in the late 1920s. While he was studying traditional Japanese printmaking, he earned a living creating woodblock prints for advertising, including posters and labels. In 1946, he established the short-lived publishing firm Nihon Hanga Kenkushiyo (Japan Print Institute) to promote woodblocks after WWII. Specializing in reprints of famous ukiyo-e designs, the company dissolved in 1948. In 1954, he opened his own printing studio, called Okuyama Hanga Kobo, to design, carve, and publish his own works. His sosaku hanga prints have a more abstract quality than his idealized shin-hanga scenes, experimenting with values and gradations of color, including a group of monochromatic works in black and white. His landscape subjects range from sweeping vistas to more intimate village scenes and the bustling life of the city. A very versatile and creative artist, Okuyama's striking scenic prints are a wonderful choice for a modern collector.

Comments - Lovely nighttime view of the "outcrop" stone statue of Kannon along the side of a hill at Ofuna Kannonji Temple in Kamakura, with tiny figures making their way down a path at lower right. A full yellow moon glows in the sky behind a few clouds, and a warm glow comes from the lighted windows of the structure at left. A beautifully colored modern design with an attractive painterly appearance. Published by Kyoto Hanga-in with publisher's seal within image at lower right.

Artist - Gihachiro Okuyama (1907 - 1981)

Image Size - 15 3/8" x 10 1/2" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. A few creases at edges. Please see photos for details.