Obata: Watercolor study of a seated man (Sold)

Artist: Chiura Obata   (1885-1975)
Title: Watercolor study of a seated man
Date: July 23, 1934

Watercolor painting of a sandy-haired man seated on a bench. His arms are crossed and one leg is drawn up, while one rests on the floor. Obata has carefully noted the date of the work, “July 23rd 1934”. Chiura Obata taught at Berkeley between 1932 and 1954, and made many study paintings as demonstration to his students. Even for these he used Japanese paper that he obtained from Japan. Although best known for his landscapes, Obata could accurately capture just about anything that was in front of his eyes. We can see that he had the model pose in a position that is challenging to draw. His economy of line and mastery of the brush are practically unequalled in 20th c. American art. The University of California, Berkeley preserved many of his paintings while Obata and his family were interned in Utah at Topaz during WWII. With a Certificate of Authenticity from the Estate of Chiura Obata. 

Condition:  Excellent condition overall, minor creases on edges on Japanese paper. 

Dimensions:  52 x 39.4 cm
Provenance: Estate of Chiura Obata
Signature: Chiura Obata

SKU: OBA046