Outstanding Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) Original Japanese Wood Block Print, Women resting on the beach, print no, 16 from Gekko Zuihitsu. (1887)

Gekko Ogata was born in 1859 with the original name of Nagami Masanosuke in the Kobayashi quarter of Tokyo. He became an orphan and was adopted by a family with the name Ogata. In the beginning of his artistic career, Gekko was attracted by drawing and by painting. He was self-taught in art, and won numerous national and international prizes and was one of the earliest Japanese artists to win an international audience. He was a founding member of many of Japan’s modern art institutions, was a favorite artist of Emperor Meiji and was the teacher of many important artists of the next generation. Gekko Ogata died on October 1, 1920.

Gekko's Essay - Gekko Zuihitsu

The series Gekko Zuihitsu (Gekko's Essay) is among the artist's major works. It was created in 1886 and 1887. The series was published by Matsuki Heikichi in 1887 and possibly by others in following years. It consists of 47 designs plus a title page. The format of the single sheets is oban tate-e (portrait format). The media is the traditional Japanese woodblock technique.

The subjects designed by Gekko are in no way focused on a specific theme. They are basically a diverse collection of a bit of everything - history, mythology, warriors, poets, common and not so common people. Also Gekko's great contemporary Yoshitoshi had created around the same time a large series with no focus on a specific content, the legendary series of Tsuki Hyakushi - Hundred Aspects of the Moon. But while Yoshitoshi's hundred designs have the image of the moon as common bond, the Gekko series is missing any formal or contents-related bond. Only the design frame with title and text cartouche and the typical Gekko style of composition and mostly subdued colors make the prints recognizable as part of a series.

Title: Women resting on beach (Smithsonian translation)

Series: Gekkō's Sketch (Gekkō Zuihitsu)

Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi

Date: 1887

Signature: Gekko

Seal: Gekko

References: The British Museum, Arthur M. Sackler Collection, the Smithsonian Institution, Artelino.

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