Oda Kazuma: Mount Daisen in the Distance (Hoki Daisen en) (SOLD)

Artist: Oda Kazuma 1882-1956
Title: Mount Daisen in the Distance (Hoki Daisen en)  Date: 1924

Grey clouds in a fury of textures fill the top half of this unique design. There are subtle additions of blue and purple to the storm cloud mix, and we also see swirls that were deliberately created with the edge of the printer’s baren. Beneath the clouds are a skyscape of bright colors, as well as a terrific combination of colors on the sea and the distant mountains. We also see a steeply climbing trail at left that seems quite vertiginous, topped with a utility pole. Oda Kazuma was born in Tokyo, and moved to Osaka to study painting and lithography  in 1898. In 1903 he returned to Tokyo, where he worked as a designer at the Koshiba lithography studio.  During this early part of the 20th century he spent time with the European artist Emil Orlik, whose lithographic art inspired him. In 1918 Kazuma was a founding member of the Japan Creative Print Association (Nihon Sosaku-Hanga Kyoka) as its only lithographer. Oda returned to Osaka again for three years in 1911, so we can assume that was well acquainted with the surrounding areas of natural beauty. During this second stay in Osaka he also dove deeply into research of ukiyo-e, and even published a book “Ukiyo-e and the art of illustration” in 1931. This interest in ukiyo-e is said to have led to a meeting with Watanabe; his prints with Watanabe are the culmination of his knowledge of ukiyo-e and lithography, and are quite unlike any other Watanabe-published designs of the period. A rare design, with the earliest Watanabe seal that was in use during this period, in use between 1924 and 1930.

Mount Daisen is a volcano that was regarded as important by followers of the Shugendo religion, and it in the past it was called Hoki Fuji when viewed from the former Hoki province side of the mountain. It is now part of Daisen-Oki National Park.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. 
Dimensions: 26.3 x 38.8 cm  
Lit: See Carnegie Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art

SKU: ODC017S