<b>WATER APPEARS BRILLIANT ON FUJI</b> / Reika Iwami1992<B>SOLD</B></em>
ARTIST: Reika Iwami (1927-2020)
TITLE: Water Appears Brilliant on Fuji
EDITION: 26/70
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1992
DIMENSIONS: 34 1/4 x 23 1/2 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; faint printer’s crease in image
NOTE: Gold metallic pigment; silver mica highlights
SOLD
Details
The majestic Mt. Fuji serves as the backdrop for a brilliant waning crescent moon, bathed in radiant gold. Its summit is bathed in the same golden glow as the celestial body keeps. Stylized clouds gracefully traverse the iconic silhouette of the mountain, while a form resembling driftwood flows through the lower portion of the composition, evoking the serene motion of water. Two butterflies further animate the scene, gently weaving through this picturesque Japanese landscape.
This striking design is a wonderful synthesis of Rimpa school subjects and the sosaku hanga aesthetic for woodgrain patterns.
Connoisseur's Note
Since the artist’s recent passing in 2020, her work has become quite hard to find. Large-scale woodblock prints featuring Mt. Fuji are particularly sought-after.
This work is in pristine condition with vivid colors—a testament to its years of archival storage. It is quite rare to find large-scale work that has never been framed or displayed and has been spared the transgressions of improper framing and fading caused by years of exposure to sunlight. This print is as fresh as the day it was printed.
