<b>MONO CRATER</b> / Chiura Obata1930<B>SOLD</B></em>

Details

A Japanese-American artist, Chiura Obata was enamored by the beauty of the American landscape. He routinely traveled to remote natural locales to sketch and paint directly from nature. In 1928, Obata traveled to the Yosemite Valley region and the area surrounding it and sketched designs that would later be translated into finished woodblock prints.

Obata's woodblock print titled "Mono Crater" transports viewers to the dramatic landscape of Mono County, Eastern California. Depicting the Mono–Inyo Craters, a volcanic chain known for its craters, domes, and lava flows, Obata captures the awe-inspiring beauty of this natural wonder. Stretching 25 miles from the northwest shore of Mono Lake to the south of Mammoth Mountain, the chain is a testament to the geological forces that have shaped the region. In his composition, Obata portrays the crater in the dim light of dusk or dawn, enhancing its mysterious allure. The imposing form of the crater, with its dynamic and scraggly rock formations echoing the movement of lava, is rendered in deep purples, violets, and splashes of yellow and crimson. The formations ascend to the top of Obata's design in a wave-like crescendo, both fluid and monumental in its execution. While the design contains a power reminiscent of many works of abstraction, it firmly retains its representational footing, showcasing the national treasures of California and Obata's skill in capturing the essence of the natural world through his art.

Connoisseur's Note

The print was published by Takamizawa in 1930 in an edition of 100 impressions. The print was never framed or displayed in light for extended periods of time and retains its original vibrant, rich coloration.