<b>WAGNER</b>Kishio Koizumic. 1930<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Although not known for portraits, Koizumi produced a handful of designs that showcased the likenesses of Western musicians. This work features a portrait of Wagner. The striking black-and-white design may be based on a series of photos taken of the composer throughout his life. Koizumi’s likeness depicts the composer with his trademark beard that does extend upward past his chin. The line work used to mimic light and shadow is particularly striking. Koizumi’s portrait is a sophisticated interplay of black and white that only a woodblock print can produce.

Connoisseur's Note

Koizumi prints are not particularly easy to locate in the market. One often finds designs from his 100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa era, but those impressions are often the later reprintings. Unlike his landscapes, his design of Wagner was not produced in great numbers, nor was it reprinted. This print bears the artist’s hand-applied stamp at the lower right, which was only reserved for early self-printed impressions.