<b>FESTIVAL REVELER</b>Maekawa Senpan1940s$1,500</em>
ARTIST: Senpan Maekawa (1888-1960)
TITLE: Festival Reveler
MEDIUM: pigment on paper mounted as a kakemono
DATE: 1940s
DIMENSIONS: 10 1/2 x 9 1/2 (image); 50 x 12 inches (mount)
CONDITION: Light creasing, as typical of scrolls
$1,500.00
Details
Senpan became interested in producing art after seeing the work of Minami Kunzo (1883-1950), a sosaku hanga artist, in 1911. As was the case with many sosaku hanga artists, Senpan was self-taught and experimented with printmaking for a number of years before publishing his first print in 1919. In addition to producing woodblock prints, the artist supported himself as a cartoonist for newspapers and a variety of publications.
In this enchanting work, a young woman is dressed in a fine kimono with hands raised as she welcomes the falling cherry blossoms. The painting is rendered in a charming cartoon-like style Senpan was so well known to produce.
A strong advocate for traditional Japanese arts and culture, Senpan often depicted regional Japanese festivals, and it is very likely the subject of this painting is a reveler for a local cherry blossom festival. The lighthearted theme of pink blooms is advanced further in the beautiful and well-suited pink-colored mount.
Connoisseur's Note
This work is a rare original piece by Senpan and was produced some time in the 1940s. The painting is executed in the cartoon-like style he often used in paintings or sketches. The painting features the artist’s distinctive signature and seals in the lower-right of the image. The painting is housed in its original mount and comes with its original custom-made wooden box.
