SAITO Kiyoshi
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SAITO Kiyoshi Born: 1907 in Fukushima, died in 1997 Medium: Woodblock To Westerners, Saito is perhaps the best-known Japanese woodblock printer. His first solo exhibit was held in Tokyo in 1942. After the war he won an international competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, surprising the Japanese artworld when his woodblocks won the top prize over the work of sculptors and oil painters. Many are attracted to Saito’s peaceful images of traditional Japanese gardens, temples and his hometown village of Aizu. Saito has been widely popular and is known for a distinctive style. It is easily recognized by simplified and graceful renditions, usually in tranquil greens, grays or browns. Often he utilized the grain of the woodblock as an integral part of the design, and employed harmonious lines and shadows to evoke tranquil serenity. After receiving a State Department invitation, Saito toured the United States in 1956. Later, a sketch of Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato was used as the cover for a 1967 Time magazine. A rather prolific and popular artist, Saito also did such varied images as cats, dachshunds, Maiko dancers, nude women, haniwa burial figures, and imagery inspired by travels in the US, Mexico and Europe. In every creation, the artist offered his own unique approach to composition--architectural studies become abstracted, renditions of gardens or temples have an intriguing perspective to add mystery, studies of joyful children include complex fabric patterns, and pathways and tree limbs are offered in provocative juxtaposition to an old thatched roof farmhouse. The viewer is constantly challenged by the artist’s creativity and ingenuity, while at the same time being offered quiet, restful scenes rendered in an easy and affectionate mode. Saito continued to do traditional woodblock printmaking well into his eighties. Exhibitions: Tokyo, Japan Miami, Florida Melbourne, Australia Corcoran Gallery, Washington, DC Honolulu, Hawaii Ljubljana, Yugoslavia--award winner Ann Arbor, Michigan New York City Sao Paulo, Brazil--award winner Cairo, Egypt--prize winner Albuquerque, New Mexico Collections: Cincinnati Art Museum Miami Art Museum Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Museum of Modern Art, New York City National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo Achenbach Foundation, Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco SAITO Kiyoshi Born: 1907 in Fukushima, died in 1997 Medium: Woodblock To Westerners, Saito is perhaps the best-known Japanese woodblock printer. His first solo exhibit was held in Tokyo in 1942. After the war he won an international competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, surprising the Japanese artworld when his woodblocks won the top prize over the work of sculptors and oil painters. Many are attracted to Saito |
SAITO Kiyoshi
About Us Are you looking for a specific work? We may have more items by this artist in our gallery. Please call for additional info! 707.875.2922
|
SAITO Kiyoshi
Born: 1907 in Fukushima, died in 1997
Medium: Woodblock
To Westerners, Saito is perhaps the best-known Japanese woodblock printer. His first solo exhibit was held in Tokyo in 1942. After the war he won an international competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, surprising the Japanese artworld when his woodblocks won the top prize over the work of sculptors and oil painters. Many are attracted to Saito’s peaceful images of traditional Japanese gardens, temples and his hometown village of Aizu. Saito has been widely popular and is known for a distinctive style. It is easily recognized by simplified and graceful renditions, usually in tranquil greens, grays or browns. Often he utilized the grain of the woodblock as an integral part of the design, and employed harmonious lines and shadows to evoke tranquil serenity.
After receiving a State Department invitation, Saito toured the United States in 1956. Later, a sketch of Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato was used as the cover for a 1967 Time magazine. A rather prolific and popular artist, Saito also did such varied images as cats, dachshunds, Maiko dancers, nude women, haniwa burial figures, and imagery inspired by travels in the US, Mexico and Europe.
In every creation, the artist offered his own unique approach to composition--architectural studies become abstracted, renditions of gardens or temples have an intriguing perspective to add mystery, studies of joyful children include complex fabric patterns, and pathways and tree limbs are offered in provocative juxtaposition to an old thatched roof farmhouse. The viewer is constantly challenged by the artist’s creativity and ingenuity, while at the same time being offered quiet, restful scenes rendered in an easy and affectionate mode. Saito continued to do traditional woodblock printmaking well into his eighties.
Exhibitions:
Tokyo, Japan
Miami, Florida
Melbourne, Australia
Corcoran Gallery, Washington, DC
Honolulu, Hawaii Ljubljana, Yugoslavia--award winner
Ann Arbor, Michigan
New York City
Sao Paulo, Brazil--award winner
Cairo, Egypt--prize winner
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Collections:
Cincinnati Art Museum
Miami Art Museum
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Modern Art, New York City
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Achenbach Foundation, Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco
SAITO Kiyoshi
Born: 1907 in Fukushima, died in 1997
Medium: Woodblock
To Westerners, Saito is perhaps the best-known Japanese woodblock printer. His first solo exhibit was held in Tokyo in 1942. After the war he won an international competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, surprising the Japanese artworld when his woodblocks won the top prize over the work of sculptors and oil painters. Many are attracted to Saito
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Are you looking for a specific work? We may have more items by this artist in our gallery. Please call for additional info! 707.875.2922