| Notes (this edition)?: |
| The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies:
You are bidding on an EXTRA LARGE, very beautiful, rare, and LIMITED NUMBER (49/50) original Japanese woodblock print “Dialogue with Water D” PENCIL signed by the famous Shin-Hanga woodblock print master Reika Iwami (1927-) made in 1974. This Reika Iwami’s masterpiece original woodblock print is one of the core collections of a large number of gorgeous, different-styled Japanese woodblock print collections in my family, which we are gradually selling. The size of the original print is 24 1/8 x 20 inches, which is much larger than the traditional Shin Hanga woodblock prints. Reika Iwami was born in 1927 and graduated from the Tokyo Bunka Gakuin Art College. She pursued the art of doll-making and doll-carving for eleven years, before becoming a printmaker in 1954. Her subject is water and flow, and her genius lies in the almost mystical ability of being able to transmute the grain and texture of pieces of wood into visual images of patterns of water. Her titles all reflect her preoccupation with this theme. She executes all phases of the printmaking, cutting the blocks, inking them and rubbing the paper. Her work is very influenced by Koshiro Onchi and Sekino Jun'ichiro. She has held numerous one-woman shows throughout Japan and Europe, and has won prizes in several international print competitions. Her works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art of New York (MOMA), Library of Congress, Cincinnati Art Museum, and the University of California. The exact same print is at the following link http://www.4bernardhurtig.com/JapaneseArts/Iwami_DialoguewithWater.htm. The price information of Reika Iwami’s original woodblock prints can be easily found on Internet such as the following link http://www.japaneseprintart.com/artist_collection.cfm?artist_lname=Iwami&artist_fname=Reika. The colors, which are vivid and vibrant, are in layers. This woodblock print is not attached to any backing paper or cardboard. Strong ink bleeding can be seen through the back of the original Japanese mulberry Washi paper. All four borders are intact. The original Reika Iwami PENCIL SIGNED SIGNATURE and the date the print was made ‘74 in English, the original PENCIL SIGNED LIMITED NUMBER (49/50), and the title of this woodblock print “Dialogue with Water D” in Kanji are in the bottom border. Except for a tiny foxing dot at the left part of this print, this original woodblock print is in excellent condition. Original Reika Iwami woodblock prints are hard to be found in the public nowadays. |
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| Artist Bio: |
Reika Iwami was born in 1927 and graduated from the Tokyo Bunka Gakuin Art College. She pursued the art of doll-making and doll-carving for eleven years, before becoming a printmaker in 1954.
Iwami is a rarity among woman woodblock artists in her avoidance of color. Solid, pure blacks are blended with finely textured grays and some metallic gold or silver. Large full moons often dominate her prints, with rocketlike gold thrusts piercing them in bold curves. Wavelike patterns like communication symbols sometimes bisect the circles. Sprinklings of powdered mica over the white areas give them impression of windblown sand. In the absence of brilliant colors, form and texture are strongly evident.
Her subject is water and flow, and her genius lies in the almost mystical ability of being able to transmute the grain and texture of pieces of wood into visual images of patterns of water. Her titles all reflect her preoccupation with this theme. She executes all phases of the printmaking, cutting the blocks, inking them and rubbing the paper. Influenced by her work with the Koshiro Onchi and Sekino Jun'ichiro.
She has held numerous one-woman shows throughout Japan and Europe, and has won prizes in several international print competitions. Her works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art of New York (MOMA), Library of Congress, Cincinnati Art Museum, and the University of California.
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