Oda Kazuma: Night View of Togeki Theater in Tsukiji 築地東劇夜景 (SOLD)

Artist: Oda Kazuma 1882-1956
Title: Night View of Togeki Theater in Tsukiji 築地東劇夜景  Date: ca. 1930

Tokyo Gekijo theater opened in about 1930 in Tsukiji. This is actually the view from one of the side wings of the building, showing what must have been the main entrance. A crowd of people are shown in silhouette, drawn to the lights. The cupola at top glows brightly, with light shown streaming out against the dark sky. We also see a few automobiles, which must have been imported brands, as Japanese production of cars did not begin in earnest until the 1930s.  This large playhouse could seat nearly 1900, and was about two blocks away from the kabuki-za. The venue featured kabuki until 1952, when the Kabuki-za was rebuilt and this became the Road Show Theater, showing motion pictures. It has since been demolished, its facade now known from postcards from the time.

Oda Kazuma studied lithography beginning in 1898, and a few years later he worked as a designer at the Koshiba lithography studio in Tokyo. At about that time 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. Kazuma also published a few woodblock prints with Watanabe, and created some self-published woodblocks, as here, generally in small editions. 

Oda Kazuma worked both in the sosaku hanga and shin hanga worlds, meaning that he both printed and carved his own works and would also work with a publisher and professional artisans to create shin hanga. This work is said to have been self-carved and self-printed.

Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. A few minor wrinkles and minor spots on the margins. Hinging remnants, verso. Dimensions: 25.2 x 36 cm
Sized: “Kazuma Oda”   in pencil

SKU: OKZ017