Obata: Gentle snowscape featuring a covered bridge (Sold)

  • Sold.

Artist: Chiura Obata   (1885-1975)
Title: Gentle snowscape featuring a covered bridge
Date: Ca. 1930s-40s

Large, gentle watercolor snowscape of a covered bridge. There are only ten covered bridges left in the state of California, and none seem to match exactly the construction of this one. Although Obata has signed this using his Japanese signature, the landscape looks very much like California. Perhaps he was demonstrating how to render features of a landscape covered in snow. Chiura Obata taught at Berkeley between 1932 and 1954, and made many study paintings as demonstration to his students. Most of them are in sumi ink only, so this one is unusual for its use of color. His economy of line and mastery of the brush are practically unequalled in 20th c. American art. The University of California, Berkeley preserved all of his paintings while Obata and his family were interned in Utah during WWII. Provenance: Estate of Chiura Obata.

Condition:  Excellent condition overall, with a few wrinkles along edges. On imported Japanese paper.  
Dimensions:  43.7 x 58 cm
Provenance:  Provenance: Estate of Chiura Obata. WIth a certificate of authenticity from the estate of the artist.
Signature:  Obata  Sealed: Artist’s seal

SKU: OBA052