Kobayakawa Kiyoshi, 1896-1948
Styles of Contemporary Make-up: no. 5, Glossy Black Hair
(Kindaijisesho no uchi: go, Kurokami)
the kneeling nude with a small towel draped across her lap while combing her long black hair, signed and dated Showa rokunen ni gatsu (Showa 6 [1933], 2nd month), Kiyoshi with artist's seal Kobayakawa, the title, Kindaijisesho no uchi go Kurokami, along the lower margin, with artist's seal Kobayakawa on lower left margin, followed by limited edition seal, Hyaku mai kagiri zeppan, dai nijuichi go (100 limited edition, number 21), privately published, the blocks carved by Takano Shichinosuke and printed by Ono Tomisaburo
naga-oban tate-e 20 7/8 by 11 7/8 in., 53 by 30.1 cm
Kobayakawa Kiyoshi moved to Tokyo from Fukuoka Prefecture as a teenager. He studied under Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1972) and exhibited his Japanese-style paintings with his fellow-students at Kyodokai (Homeland Society) exhibitions. He won awards at national competitive exhibitions such as Teiten and Bunten. In the 1920s Kiyoshi became interested in ukiyo-e, and began collecting prints in order to study them. He produced a total of thirteen prints in his career, twelve of which were included in the 1936 show at the Toledo Museum of Art, Modern Japanese Prints. This series, Styles of Contemporary Make-up, includes six designs.
References:
Kato, Junzo, comp., Kindai Nihon hanga taikei, 1975-76, Vol. III, pl. 74
Reigle Newland, Amy, and Hamanaka Shinji, The Female Image: 20th century prints of Japanese beauties, 2000, no. 193
SOLD
numbered edition seals