Gallery 4I: Kawakami Sumio

Kawakami Sumio (1895-1972) was a mostly self-taught sosaku hanga artist. He created single sheet prints as well as 33 limited edition books which were mostly self-carved and self-printed. He also created designs for card inserts and cards for the Yokohama publisher Chikuhōdō. Many of the Sumio’s works include western subjects and their impact on Japanese culture, similar to the earlier Yokohama-e prints that depicted foreigners and Western technical achievements first encountered in the city of Yokohama, one of the few ports that was initially accessible to foreign trade. Sumio was an active member of several sosaku hanga associations.

Untitled. Calendar Print. Published by Chikuhōdō, Yokohama. 1962. 10.6 x 12.0 cm

Untitled. Image of Mary, Jesus, and the three Kings. Published by Chikuhōdō, Yokohama. 15.0 x 13.4 cm

Untitled. Illustration of Jesus, Mary, and Three Kings from a Christmas Card. 7.1 x 7.5 cm

Untitled. Detail of architectural carvings from a set of three prints of Tosho gu Shrine Nikko. 12.5 x 8.7 cm.

Untitled. Depiction of the three wise monkeys (hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil) from a set of three prints for Tosho gu Shrine in Nikko. 12.7 x 9.1 cm

Untitled. Image of Tosho gu Shrine, Nikko. 12.5 x 8.8 cm

Illustration from the Envelope for a set of three prints of Nikko Toshogu Shrine. 8.8 x 6.8 cm

Untitled. From Calendar Prints by Important Sosaku Hanga Artists. Japan Print Association. 1939. 12.5 x 14.3 cm

From Dojin zasshi 15. Published by Hanga no le. 1930. 13.9 x 13.4 cm

Untitled. Woodblock printed postcard from from Dai 21-kai Han no Kai Sakuhin-shu (the Works of the 21st Han Association). New Year Postcard exchange, 1955. 9.0 x 14.0 cm.

Autumn View in Oya. Undated. 10.7 x 11.9 cm

Lingering Summer Heat. Undated. 10.9 x 12.0 cm

Gogatsu. From Calendar Prints by Important Sosaku Hanga Artists. May, 1943. 13.0 x 24.8 cm

Kawakami Sumio (1895-1972)

Yoshino Hina. Attached to a blank card. Undated. 11.1 x 12.0 cm

Suihei (Sailor) From Hanga magazine, volume 13. 1928. 20.2 x 14.6 cm

Sailer. Woodblock Printed Postcard. 9.1 x 14.0 cm

Photography Studio. From Print Appreciation Meeting Collection. Vol. II (No. 178/200). 1980 (Post-Humous). 1980. 12.0 x 16.4 cm

Untitled. Still life with horn, lamp, apples, magazine, pipes, and watch on a table. Undated. 13.0 x 14.2 cm

From Calendar Prints by Important Sosaku Hanga Artists. December, 1937. 11.7 x 13.0 cm

An Ainu Man. Woodblock printed postcard from the set Shiraoi Fūbutsu (Scenes and Customs of Shiraoi). Undated. 9.0 x 14.2 cm

Dancers. Woodblock printed postcard from the set Shiraoi Fūbutsu (Scenes and Customs of Shiraoi). 14.2 x 9.1 cm

Cattle and Silo. Woodblock printed postcard from the set Shiraoi Fūbutsu (Scenes and Customs of Shiraoi). 14.2 x 9.2 cm

Country House. Woodblock printed postcard from the set Shiraoi Fūbutsu (Scenes and Customs of Shiraoi). 14.3 x 9.2 cm

Distant View of Mount Tarumae. Woodblock printed postcard from the set Shiraoi Fūbutsu (Scenes and Customs of Shiraoi). 14.2 x 9.1 cm