with a very fine mica ground; signed Sentaro with artist's seal Iwata Sentaro, with limited edition seal on left margin, Gentei nihyaku mai no uchi dai hachi go (200 limited edition, number 8), followed by carver and printer's seal, Moriei (carver) and suri Fujinami (printer), ca. 1935
dai oban tate-e 14 7/8 by 11 in., 37.8 by 27.8 cm
Iwata Sentaro was from the Asakusa district in Tokyo, although after his father's business failed he spent some time in Kyoto where he studied yuzen design and dyeing. He returned to Tokyo in 1919, and the following year began producing newspaper and magazine illustrations while studying with Ito Shinsui (1898-1972). By the 1930s Sentaro was well-established as an illustrator but he produced few woodblock print designs during this period (this design is one of only two published in Kindai Nihon hanga taikei). In 1950 he formed the Federation of Publishing Artists (Shuppan Bijutsuka Renmei). In 1976 he produced a limited edition set, Shirabai (White Plum), distributed by the Asahi Newspaper Company in collaboration with several publishers including Shinbi Shoin, Takamizawa, Adachi, Kato Junji and Watanabe Shozaburo.
References:
Kato, Junzo, comp. Kindai Nihon hanga taikei, 1975-76, Vol. III, no. 153
Merritt, Helen, Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975, 1992, pp. 49-50
(inv. no. 10-3902)
price: Sold
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site last updated
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Scholten Japanese Art
145 West 58th Street, suite 6D
New York, New York 10019
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