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<b>TEMPLE BELL TOWER</b> / Ryohei Tanaka1964<b>SOLD</b></em>
ARTIST: Ryohei Tanaka (1933-2019)
TITLE: Temple Bell Tower
MEDIUM: Etching with aquatint
EDITION: 50/50
DATE: 1964
DIMENSIONS: 14 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches
CONDITION: Tape remnants and adhesive residue on reverse top corners; light thinning to top corners; otherwise in fine shape
LITERATURE: Yamada Art Gallery, Tanaka Ryohei Catalogue Raisonne: 1963-1990, 1991, pl.4
SOLD
ARTIST: Ryohei Tanaka (1933-2019)
TITLE: Temple Bell Tower
MEDIUM: Etching with aquatint
EDITION: 50/50
DATE: 1964
DIMENSIONS: 14 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches
CONDITION: Tape remnants and adhesive residue on reverse top corners; light thinning to top corners; otherwise in fine shape
LITERATURE: Yamada Art Gallery, Tanaka Ryohei Catalogue Raisonne: 1963-1990, 1991, pl.4
SOLD
ARTIST: Ryohei Tanaka (1933-2019)
TITLE: Temple Bell Tower
MEDIUM: Etching with aquatint
EDITION: 50/50
DATE: 1964
DIMENSIONS: 14 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches
CONDITION: Tape remnants and adhesive residue on reverse top corners; light thinning to top corners; otherwise in fine shape
LITERATURE: Yamada Art Gallery, Tanaka Ryohei Catalogue Raisonne: 1963-1990, 1991, pl.4
SOLD
Details
Tanaka is known for his spellbinding, intricate landscapes that usher the viewer into a world of nature and magic. The minute detail the artist is able to achieve within his designs is astonishing. He conjures an entire cosmos within the confines of a sheet of paper. In this night scene, the artist provides us with an examination of a temple complex veiled in the mystery of moonlight. The design is divided by angular shadows caused by the temple roofs overhead, just above the viewer's reach. The cast shadows draw the attention of the viewer below and seem to invite closer inspection of the intricate floor constructed by an innumerable amount of stones covering every conceivable space. The detail is so convincing that the eye trusts the image as one would a photo. The design posits the viewer with a koan-like question: if this isn’t real, what, if anything, might be?
Connoisseur's Note
Tanaka passed away in October of 2019. He was a prolific artist, and his striking designs have continued to grow in popularity. Based on their beauty and labor-intensive quality, there is little doubt their desirability will continue to grow.
