Kishio Koizumi: Kiyosumi Garden in Fukagawa (SOLD)
Artist: Kishio Koizumi (1893-1945)
Title: The Former Imperial Palace at Aoyama (Aoyama Kyu Gyosho) Date: 1931
Vivid springtime greens surround Daisensui pond in Kiyosumi Garden, one tree sporting bright pink bursts of flowering colors at left. Our view is coming down the stone path when the view of the lake appears; a tea pavilion is at left. The landscape stones themselves, sourced from throughout Japan, are a notable feature of the Meiji-era garden, and we can see how the artist took care in placing them front and center. Kiyosumi Gardens were once the residence of the founder of Mitsubishi, and Hasui also created designs featuring this landscape. The gardens were donated to the city of Tokyo in 1932, only a few years before this print was created. It is one of the few scenes of Tokyo from this series that looks much the same today. This is number 91 in the series; hand numbered in left margin.
Koizumi Kishio self-published 100 designs in this very interesting series, although it took nine years to complete after the first work was published in 1928. In general the designs are very strong, and have a fresh perspective that is distinctive to this series. These works were sold by subscription club, which the artist declared to be limited to 50 members. Right margin bears title, with date. Koizumi was guided by Tobari Kogan, and was one of only two sosaku-hanga artists (the other being Hiratsuka Un-ichi) to have received extensive training in block carving from professional block-carvers.
Series: Great Tokyo in the Showa Era 昭和大東京百図絵版画
Dimensions: 30 x 39.3 cm
Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. A few wrinkles, and margin narrows at top left edge. Signature: Koizumi Kisio in block Roman letters.
References: James T. Ulak et. al, Tokyo: The Imperial Capital, Woodblock Prints by Koizumi Kishio, 2003, p. 51, pl. 9; James T. Ulak, Tokyo Modern-II, Koizumi Kishio's 1940 Annotations on "100 Views of Great Tokyo in the Showa Era," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Visualizing Cultures (visualizingcultures.mit.edu), 2009 (Koizumi translation); The Wolfsonian-Florida International University, Miami Beach, Florida, Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection, no. TD1993.69.1.89.
SKU: KZK013