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.

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.

Comments - Beautiful portrait of a seated maiko or apprentice geisha, the distinctive tying of her obi identifying her as being from Kyoto. The sash trails straight down over her back onto the floor, the pattern wonderfully achieved by using the grain of the wood and two shades of warm brown, accented with two white bands and a white motif near the end of the fabric. Her black kimono is lined with a deep dark red, the same color as some of her hair ornaments. Her slender neck is exposed, an area considered sensual. An allover design of light and dark gray gives adds interest and gives a textured appearance to the background. A fantastic example of Kiyoshi Saito's sosaku hanga woodblocks.

Artist - Kiyoshi Saito (1907 - 1997)

Image Size - 15 1/2" x 10"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Slight paper remnants on reverse at top edge from previous mounting. Please see photos for details.