Rare early work of this Japanese artist, known later for his work on nudes.

Hand-penned information slip attached at back reads: “TORAJI ISHIKAWA (1875-1964) Biog:  Western-style painter.  Born in Kochi City, Shikoku. Pupil of Koyama Shotaro at his school Fudosha.  Traveled in Europe and America in the early 1900s.  On his return, exhibited frequently at the Bunten; later became a juror for the Teiten and the Netten.  Affiliated with the Tasheiyo Gakai and Shingekai.  In 1952 won the Nikon Geijutsu-in prize.  First known for his fresh, bright landscapes; his later paintings reflect the tendencies of the school of Paris. (Osamu Ueda).”  Osamu Ueda (1928-2011) was a former curator for the Art Institute of Chicago.  He had cataloged its extensive collection of Japanese woodblock prints.

Ishikawa was born in Kochi on the southwestern part of the island of Shikoku facing the Pacific Ocean.  From the age of 17 he studied with the Western-style oil painter Koyama Shotaro (1857-1916) at Fudosha, Koyama's art school.  He was to assist Koyama in creating textbook illustrations of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895).

Primarily known as a landscape painter, Toraji entered his paintings in the exhibitions of the Meiji Bijutsukai (Meiji Fine Arts Society).  In 1902 he co-founded the Taiheiyo Gakai (Pacific Western-style Art Society Institute or Pacific Painting Society), the successor to the Meiji Bijutsukai.

He traveled to the United States and Europe in the early 1900s, returning to Japan in 1904.  In that same year he published an article in the literary magazine Myojo on Alphonse Mucha, the Czech Art Nouveau painter.  After his return he exhibited oil paintings at the Japanese government sponsored Bunten and Teiten exhibitions and at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco in 1915, where he won a bronze medal for his painting titled Grape.

This early example of Toraji’s work comes from a private collection is said to have been held by the family since its original acquisition.  Apparently the family contacted Osamu Ueda to understand the significance of this work.  Turns out, this is a piece of great significance worthy of a place in a museum - perhaps among the other Toraji works in the Art Institute of Chicago.
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Frame is 27-1/2 by 21 inches with the image area, glass covered, of 19-1/4 by 12-3/4 inches.  Frame back is paper covered and wired so that it is ready for immediate hanging.  Few very minor frame flaws; matting in excellent condition; painting is also in undamaged, excellent condition.