The Sokolov Collection
Azechi Umetaro (1902-1999) Seven woodblock prints, Showa period, 20th century
Lot Closed
May 28, 04:18 PM GMT
Estimate
1,000 - 1,500 GBP
Lot Details
Description
The Sokolov Collection
Azechi Umetaro (1902-1999)
Seven woodblock prints
Showa period, 20th century
The group comprising:
- Mount Ishizuchi, with artist's seal ume, 1936
- Mountaineer (Yama otoko No. 1), signed U. Azechi in roman letters, with artist's seal ume, 1953, edition number 53/100
- Cemetary at Sengaku Temple (Sengakuji bosho), from the series Recollections of Tokyo (Tokyo kaiko zue), published by Fugaku Shuppansha in 1945
- Mountain Man and Bird (Yama-otoko to tori), signed U. Azechi in roman letters, with artist's seal ume, 1955, edition number 7/20
- Friend of the Mountain, signed U. Azechi in roman letters, with artist's seal ume, 1956, edition number 39/50
- Mountaineer No. 3, signed U. Azechi in roman letters, with artist's seal ume, 1972, edition number 13/185
- Mountains of my Home, signed U. Azechi in roman letters, with artist's seal ume, edition number 2/100, 1959
The first: 33.5 x 45 cm.
The second: 43.7 z 32.4 cm.
The third:
The fourth: 43. 8 x 32.7 cm.
The fifth: 50 x 37 cm.
The sixth: 40.5 x 32.5 cm.
The seventh: 31.5 x 26.5 cm.
Umetaro Azechi was a sosaku-hanga artist known for his bold and minimal prints of scenes depicting mountains and mountaineers. An accomplished mountaineer himself, his love of this pursuit is encapsulated in his wonderfully characterful portraits of fellow mountaineers, local people and the landscape. He continued to vigorously ascend mountains into his 80s. Azechi exhibited with the Nihon Sosaku-Hanga Kyokai (Japan Creative Print Association), the College Women's Association of Japan, and his work featured in many international exhibitions. His work has also entered numerous international museum collections including The British Museum and The Art Institute of Chicago.
For examples in museum collections:
The first, The Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/149076/mount-ishizuchi
The second, The Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/87215/mountaineer-yama-otoko-no-1
The third, The Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/111007/cemetary-at-sengakuji-sengakuji-bosho-from-the-series-recollections-of-tokyo-tokyo-kaiko-zue
The fourth, The British Museum (variant colours): https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1986-0321-0-93
The fifth: https://harvardartmuseums.org/art/184219