<b>IMAGE NO. 7</b> / Koshiro Onchi1949<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Koshiro Onchi was one of the leading printmakers in 20th-century Japan. He is credited with producing the first work of abstraction in Japan in 1915. Onchi was comfortable in abstract and representational formats, making his prints stylistically varied. He is known for imbuing his work with an expressive, thought-provoking, and emotionally potent quality. In many cases, his most expressive work remains unrivaled today. With his charisma, Onchi tended to the flame of the Sosaku Hanga movement during the dark years leading to and during the war by encouraging artists to produce creative prints for art's sake.

Image No. 7 was produced after the war, in 1949, during a period when Onchi was returning to abstract compositions. More specifically, this composition seems related to a small body of work inspired by the ocean and marine life. This striking design is a study of blue and gray organic-like oceanic forms that appear both in movement and suspension. The fan-like arrangement of the composition suggests motion. At the same time, the forms' shared interlaced colors create an astonishing sense of depth and halt the composition, granting the viewer a closer look. The squiggly-like forms at the top and bottom further echo the organic nature of the design. The composition also displays an aesthetic that recalls the graphic art of the mid-century. Onchi's composition is simple, striking, and elegant.

Connoisseur's Note

This work is an exceedingly rare self-printed and most likely unique impression. The print is signed with the artist's ONZI stamp and dated in pencil in the upper left. It is interesting to note this work was acquired from the Arenberg family. Albert Arenberg was among the Western occupying forces in postwar Japan. He was introduced to Onchi by William Hartnet and Oliver Statler, both members of the U.S. military who were avid Sosaku Hanga collectors that had gotten to know Onchi. Arenberg acquired this print directly from the artist. Below is a black and white photo taken of a 1949 exhibition that captures the artist (Far right), William Hartnett (center), and this exact print hung in the background at the far left.