Yokoyama Ryuichi – Portrait of Mr. Okita – 1957 Japanese Shikishi Painting

Yokoyama Ryuichi - Portrait of Mr. Okita - 1957 Japanese Shikishi Painting

A Japanese portrait on shikishi by Yokoyama Ryuichi, created on 13 December 1957.

The inscription on the right identifies the sitter as Mr. Okita. The inscription on the left records the date and place where the portrait was made - 13 December 1957, at the Mitsukoshi department store. The work is signed Ryuichi and bears the artist’s red seal.

The stamp on the reverse relates to a charity event at which artists produced portraits and caricatures as part of an annual year-end mutual aid campaign. The event was organized by the Asahi Shimbun Social Welfare and Cultural Foundation and held at the main Mitsukoshi department store in Nihombashi, Tokyo.

Artist

Yokoyama Ryuichi (1909-2001) was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, and one of the pioneers of Japanese animation.

In 1932, he participated in the formation of the Shin Manga-ha Shudan, an association that played an important role in the development of modern Japanese cartoon art. He became best known for the character Fuku-chan, who first appeared in a Tokyo Asahi Shimbun newspaper series in 1936 and later became the subject of a long-running independent publication.

In 1956, Yokoyama founded the animation studio Otogi Pro. In 1994, he was designated a Person of Cultural Merit.

Works by Yokoyama, including signed pieces on shikishi, are held in the collection of the Yokoyama Ryuichi Memorial Manga Museum.

Details

Artist: Yokoyama Ryuichi
Life dates: 1909-2001
Title: Portrait of Mr. Okita
Date: 13 December 1957
Period: Shōwa
Place of creation: Mitsukoshi, Nihombashi, Tokyo
Format: shikishi
Medium: ink with light color on shikishi board
Signed and sealed by the artist
Charity event stamp on the reverse

Size

Approximately 24 × 27 cm.

Condition

Vintage condition with pronounced signs of age and storage.

There is age-related toning, scattered staining, surface wear, and wear along the edges. A noticeable crease is present in the lower right corner. The stamp on the reverse is partially faded but remains legible. Please examine the photographs carefully for the condition.

Shipping

Safe and tracked shipping from Latvia (Riga Gallery of Japanese Art CloudyYokomido). Protective packaging.

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