Description
Delicate woodblock print of the sosaku-hanga (創作版画) type made in 1986 by the artist Tokuriki Tomikichiro (徳力富吉郎) and depicting the flowers of a spotted bellflower (蛍袋). In Japan the bellflowers (キキョウ) symbolize honesty and humility, as well as the unchanging love and the desire for the return of a friend. At the bottom right the silhouette of a dragonfly, a probable quotation of the famous work “Bellflower and Dragonfly” (桔梗に蜻蛉) by Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎).
The artistic production of Tokuriki Tomikichiro (1902 – 2000) is an important bridge between the two great movements of Japanese art at the beginning of the 20th century: shin-hanga (新版画) and sosaku hanga (創作版画). Like the classical shin hanga masters, Tokuriki has made many woodcuts depicting landscapes and city views in the traditional manner. However, he actively promoted the sosaku hanga (creative prints) in Kyoto, emphasizing the artist’s participation in the entire printing process, as well as the exploration of more modern styles and trends.
The work on Japanese washi paper (和紙) is in very good condition.
