Details

In May, Kiyoshi Saito captures a moment of quiet contemplation as a woman turns her gaze toward a blossoming field of irises. The portrait is rendered with Saito’s distinctive early style—strong, simplified forms, a bold interplay of color and texture, and a deep sensitivity to the subtleties of expression. The woman’s patterned crimson garment, defined with rhythmic hand-carved marks, vibrates against the dark, lush field of flowers, where soft purple blossoms and deep green leaves form a rich tapestry of seasonal renewal.

The composition masterfully balances intimacy and stylization: while the figure’s face is rendered with tender modeling and subtle tonal shifts, the surrounding environment is distilled into essential forms, creating a flattened yet atmospheric space. The stylized, slightly mask-like features of the woman’s face reflect a clear influence from Amedeo Modigliani—a Western artist whose work Saito and other Japanese artists encountered as foreign cultural presence increased in postwar Japan. This subtle stylistic influence speaks to Saito’s growing dialogue with international modernist currents during a time of profound cultural exchange. The use of deep plum, indigo, and muted violet hues imparts a rich emotional tenor, reflective of Saito’s keen sensitivity to mood and seasonality.

Connoisseur's Note

May is an important example of Kiyoshi Saito’s postwar period, when he rapidly rose to prominence within both Japanese and international circles. Notably, this impression is printed on a thick, luxurious presentation-quality paper, distinguished by silky strands visible within the margins—a material atypical for Saito’s later commercial editions. This suggests that the print was likely produced for an exhibition or special showing, underscoring its rarity and elevated production values.

During the immediate postwar years, Saito's reputation blossomed as he participated in major exhibitions and gained acclaim for his modern yet deeply Japanese sensibility. Exposure to Western art, and the strong presence of foreigners in Japan during the Occupation and reconstruction years, encouraged Saito to broaden his aesthetic influences, enriching his visual language with a synthesis of East and West.

Printed in a very small edition of only 30 impressions, each hand-signed and numbered by Saito, May offers collectors an extraordinary example of the artist’s early mastery—where tradition, modernism, and emotional depth converge in a singular, resonant image.