Kneeling Nude woodblock print by Konishi Seiichiro

At the beginning of the 20th Century woodblock prints featuring images of old Japan became extinct. The art form didn’t die; only imagery featuring kimono clad Geisha’s, skinny drivers pulling rickshaws, and dramatic scenes from Kabuki plays changed. They were replaced by images heavily influenced by Modern Art and Japan’s continued integration with the West. Art is a reflection of life and although Japan was changing, the method of making woodblock prints remained as it had for 400 years – a collaborative effort between artist, carver, printer and publisher, each with a role to play in the creation of the final product.

Both woodblock prints are dated 1957 and signed by the artist

This week’s New Arrival features a pair of woodblock prints depicting two nudes.  The images seem so Matisse-like, it’s a certainty the artist who created them, Seiichiro Konishi, had some exposure to the modern art of the time. Yet, he was also exposing something else. Konishi was a member of Sosaku-Hanga, known as the “Creative Prints” movement, which advocated that woodblock print artists draw, carve the blocks, and print their work as sole creator of the art. This venerable art form was no longer created by committee; instead, it reflected life in modern Japan by celebrating the singular vision of the artist.

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