<b>MAIKO KYOTO C</b>Kiyoshi Saito1960$2,500</em>

Details

At the urging of American collectors, Kiyoshi Saito took a trip to Kyoto in 1954 to explore the old capital. This charming design belongs to a body of work that was inspired by this artistic retreat. Saito found Kyoto welcoming and artistically nourishing. The city's old venerable shrines and temples and the traditional architecture that highlighted natural elements of wood rendered in quiet and austere arrangements with the natural embellishments of time suited Saito's aesthetics quite well.

In this design, we see the artist's fascination with woodgrain as the pattern unfolds in the background with a vibrant rhythmic pattern. The composition is constructed and divided by woodwork that slightly obscures the central figure at the center but also serves to support not only the structure the figure is in but the composition itself. The wooden pillar at left, divided into asymmetrical portions of two colors, stylistically ads a geometric balance to the composition and recalls the work of modernist Piet Mondrian, who was quite influential to Saito. The Maiko at the center is shown in almost geometrical forms—her eyes are rendered only as ovals—appearing as a totem for this ancient city and its rich artistic traditions.

Connoisseur's Note

Saito's work from his Kyoto series is among his most sought-after designs. Due to the strength of the designs and their large format, most of the prints were framed. Unfortunately, many impressions that come to market display the years of poor treatment at the hand of improper framing techniques or sunlight exposure. Making this print even more desirable, this impression was never framed or displayed for extended periods of time, ensuring the colors are in a pristine state of preservation, appearing as vivid today as they were the day the work was produced.