<b>FLOWERS, BIRDS</b>Shigeru Hatsuyama1953<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Shigeru Hatsuyama is most known as a children's book illustrator with a prolific and commercially successful output. He originally started with newspaper illustrations. His association with Koshiro Onchi solidified his interest in self-directed creative prints. Through the late 40s to 60s, Hatsuyama produced dozens of self-produced designs in woodblock prints. Hatsuyama's aesthetics gravitate toward charming, imaginative designs that explore the world of fantasy. Their childlike innocence and whimsical qualities stand out in the sosaku hanga genre.

In this design, two figures frolic in a pool of water. The sprite-like creatures have a distinctly feminine form but bear a head of flowers. A waterfowl, in silhouette, floats quietly behind the spirited figures. Hatsuyama’s bold design is energetic and whimsical. The squiggly lines that cut through the composition animate the composition with a wave-like pulse. The print is executed in a magnificently expressive quality with thick applications of color in a free and spontaneous manner. 

Connoisseur's Note

This impression bolsters fresh and vivid colors and a striking design. Hatsuyama's main source of income was in book illustrations. Consequently, his prints were produced in remarkably small editions. Oliver Statler, in his book Modern Japanese Prints, indicates a total of 10 impressions of this design were produced.