Ishizaki Shigetoshi 石崎重利: Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima 宮しま 宮島

Artist: Ishizaki Shigetoshi 石崎重利 (1901-1999)
Title: Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima  宮しま 宮島  Date: 1940

Series: 100 Views of New Japan 新日本百景 (Shin Nihon Hyakkei)

View of the famous “floating” torii at Itsukushima (Miyajima) Shrine, as seen from the colonnade of the shrine itself, overlooking Matsushima Bay. It is approaching dark, and the lamp suspended into in the center of the composition glows a warm yellow. The rails and columns create something like a second frame of our view. The vermilion colors of the shrine have darkened to deep blue in the increasing shadows, and we see what looks like the outline of a deer resting on the beach. The structure of the current torii dates to 1875, although there has been one on this site since 1168. This work bears the artist’s name in pencil at lower right; it is very possible that this was written by the artist himself.

Thirty-three artists contributed to this planned series of one hundred works, all members of the Nihon Hanga Kyôkai (Japan Woodblock Print Association). The first work was produced in December of 1938, and the series was halted after publishing  thirty-nine works, in 1941. There were two artist/editors of the set: numbers 1-9 were by Fujimori Shizuo and Maekawa Senpan took over for numbers 10-39. According to the Art Gallery of New South Wales website, publication of this series was stopped by the Japanese authorities during WWII because they feared that the interior of Japan would become known to its enemies. This would not be surprising given the paranoia of wartime, but it is also probable that there were other factors, including limited supplies and artists conscripted into the war machine.

Shigetoshi was born in Aichi prefecture and studied with Hiratsuka Un’ichi.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. A couple of tiny wrinkles top margin from original mount. Never framed. Dimensions: 25 x 32.8 cm

SKU: SNH012