Fairyland no. 5 by Hideo Hagiwara
This is a work by noted Japanese Sōsaku-hanga printmaker Hideo Hagiwara titled Fairyland no. 5. This was from a series titled Fairyland (‘Otogi no kuni’) created in 1966-1967. These were created when Hagiwara was briefly teaching at the University of Oregon. While abstract, they are departures from his usual work in a couple of ways. First, they are intaglio rather than woodblock prints. This particular piece is a soft-ground etching. It reinforces Hagiwara's standing as an innovator in Japanese printmaking. The second departure is the composition itself which is very spare with just a couple of monochromatic blocks of pigment, but mostly consists of light rhythmic lines. It certainly evokes what one might consider a fairyland. These are quire whimsical in contrast to much of his work that is intense and colorful with thick, rich pigment. It is signed and dated in pencil lower left hideo hagiwara 66. The title is given in Japanese and English lower center. The edition 9/50 is given lower right. This is a large work with a plate size of 28 x 16 3/4 inches printed on a sheet measuring 30 1/4 x 18 inches. It is framed without a mat. The framed size is 33 x 21 inches. The backing looks like it is redone, but I do not know if it is archival. The piece is in very good condition. It is well-struck. The image is sharp with no fading, staining, foxing, tears, or paper loss. There are a few peripheral creases mostly across the top border but they don't extend into the image. There appears to be some slight mat burn on the left and upper borders. Otherwise, no other issues. The price reflects the condition. A very unusual piece by a renowned Japanese printmaker.
Hideo Hagiwara (1913-2007) Hideo Hagiwara was a renowned Japanese printmaker whose career encompassed most of the 20th century. He was a prominent leader of the Sōsaku-hanga ("creative prints") movement of woodblock printing which, in contrast to prior printmaking movements in Japan, held that the artist should be the sole creator motivated by a desire for self-expression, and advocated principles of art that is "self-drawn" (自画 jiga), "self-carved" (自刻 jikoku) and "self-printed" (自摺 jizuri). Hagiwara studied at the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts. After the war his career was characterized by innovations in printmaking that heavily influenced contemporary and subsequent generations of Japanese printmakers. His reputation expanded beyond Japan helped by a feature article in Time Magazine in 1959. In addition to his creative work, he held the prestigious position of Chief Director of the Japan Print Association from 1979-2000. He received many awards most notably a Purple Ribbon Medal from the Japanese Government in 1983 and a Gold Medal from the Nobel Prize Committee in 1989. One of his most famous works is a series of 50 prints of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji has been a favored subject of Japanese artists for hundreds of years, so this series reflects not only Hagiwara’s innovative printmaking, but pays homage to the long tradition of printmaking in Japan. His work is held in important collections all over the world including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the New South Wales Art Gallery, Sidney, and the Vienna National Museum of Art.
Price: $575
Size: 30.25 x 18 inches
Framed Size: 33 x 21 inches
Plate Size: 28 x 16 3/4 inches
Condition: Very Good
Medium: Etching
Subject: Japanese/Chinese Subjects
Shipping, handling and insurance is included for purchases within the US and Canada. We ship internationally. Please contact us for shipping cost and invoice information.