<b>EGRETS IN RAIN</b> / Imao Keinen1930s<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Active in the early part of the 20th century, Keinen Imao is best known for his kacho-e. The artist worked in painting, sumi-e, and Nihonga, as well as prints. Unlike Koson or Shoson who produced more realistic designs, depicting wildlife in accurate detail in their natural habitat. Keinen’s work is more design focused. His prints have a stronger decorative element that is derived from Japanese textiles and Nihonga painting than the realism of his contemporaries.

In this design, Keinen presents the viewer with two egrets in the rain. The background is rendered in a flat black that creates a two-dimensional quality against the paper-thin form of the birds. Though lacking in realism, Keinen’s design is striking nonetheless. The stylized rain and the weathered grasses arranged in a lyrical pattern at the bottom left add an excellent textile-like complement to the design. The birds themselves are carefully articulated with thin lines outlining the feathers. The rain that falls in front of the birds is executed with blind print embossing, so as not to obstruct from their graceful appearance.

Connoisseur's Note

The Shima Art Company printed this design circa the 1930s. The print was one of the works the late Shin Hanga collector Robert O. Muller purchased while in Japan on his honeymoon and was in his collection until his death in 2003. The print was never framed nor exposed to light for prolonged periods. The print is in a pristine state of preservation and appears as fresh and vibrant as the day it was printed