Oda Kazuma

1881-1956

Shinobazu

with artist's mark Oda at lower left, and title in block Romanji letters, SHINOBAZU, probably self-carved and self-printed; inscribed in sumi ink on verso, Shinobazu Ike Sekkei, Oda Kazuma hanga

oban yoko-e 10 by 13 7/8 in., 25.5 by 35.4 cm

Many artists of the first half of the 20th century drifted back and forth between the two poles of sôsaku-hanga and shin-hanga. Oda Kazuma was an artist who was able to produce notable works by both means; that is, with a publisher or independently. Born in Tokyo, he studied Western-style painting with Kawamura Kiyoo (1899-1934) and lithography with Kaneko Masajirô. Kazuma worked primarily as a lithographer, but he was also an ukiyo-e enthusiast, publishing two books on the subject. He was a contributor to Hôsun ca. 1909-11, an art magazine co-founded by Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958); a founding member (and only lithographer) of Nihon Sôsaku-Hanga Kyôkai (Creative Print Society) in 1918; Yôfû Hangakai (Western Style Print Society) in 1930; and Nihon Hanga Kyôkai (Japan Print Association) in 1931. And yet, with all his sôsaku-hanga associations, in the 1920’s he designed six shin-hanga type woodblock prints published by Watanabe. This print may be an example of his self-carved and self-printed works.

References:
Helen Merritt, Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints, 1990, p. 62
Helen Merritt, Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints, 1992, p. 114

price: $1,700