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<b>GANSEN-JI (DRAWING)</b> / Ryohei Tanakac. 1980$950</em>
ARTIST: Ryohei Tanaka (1933-2019)
TITLE: Gansen-ji
MEDIUM: Graphite on tracing paper (drawing)
EDITION: Unique
DATE: c.1980
DIMENSIONS: 9 5/8 x 8 1/2 (paper)
CONDITION: Excellent; light discoloration to paper
LITERATURE: This work is not listed—a related finished design is illustrated in Art Shop Ezoshi, Tanaka Ryohei Catalogue Raisonne, 1963-1990, no. 264
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$950.00
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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. The life-like realism in Tanaka’s designs evokes a profound sense of concentration that is both mediative and poetic.
Connoisseur's Note
Tanaka passed away in October of 2019. He was a prolific artist, and his striking prints have now become quite sought-after and scarce. Our retrospective of over 50 designs from throughout the artist’s career is among the first online retrospectives to comprehensively showcase his astonishing abilities in this medium and highlight the diversity of his subjects.
This work is the original drawing produced as a rough draft in preparation for Tanaka’s design, Gansen-ji, 1980. It is interesting to note the drawing is the mirror opposite of the finalized design (see image below) which strongly suggests it was used in the production of the etching plate.
