Details

Asami Kojo was known as a Nihonga painter based in Nagoya. Kojo routinely exhibited his paintings at government-sponsored exhibitions such as the Bunten, Teiten, and Shin-Bunten. Though not known for his woodblock print designs, he was quite a capable artist that easily extended himself into this medium.

In 1931–1932 Kojo produced 12 prints inspired by the months of the year as they unfolded in his native home of Nagoya. These prints were well received in Nagoya but were never produced in substantial quantities as one might expect in a larger market such as Tokyo.

In this design, Kojo presents the viewer with a stunning night scene of a Nagoya street bathed in the warm light of countless lanterns. Strung to trees, windows, and roofs, the lantern light animates this picturesque scene as a force that meanders throughout the composition. What sets Kojo apart from other print artists of this time is his work pays careful attention to the figures that populate the designs. Unlike other artists in the Shin Hanga tradition such as Hasui or Hiroshi Yoshida, Kojo carefully articulates the figures in his work, giving them personalities and expressions that directly interact with the scene the artist conjures. As the viewer enters the compositions, trailing behind the villagers and the lantern’s light, Kojo provides individually articulated figures that are curious and excited by the festivities and the light of the lanterns overhead.

Connoisseur's Note

Kojo’s woodblock prints are seldom available for sale. The limited quantities in which they were originally produced have ensured their rarity and well as their desirability among collectors. The limited runs also ensured the quality of their printing. If one looks closely, this impression displays a strong painterly effect—perhaps mimicking the artist’s technique in painting, as background as a wash in a dynamic use of light. Also of note is the woodgrain design in the sky, skillful use of bokashi, or color gradation, as well as the use of deluxe printing techniques of overprinting most noticeable in the surface of the red in the lanterns.