<b>AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE</b> / Tomoo Inagaki1923<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, a catastrophic event in Japanese history, profoundly impacted the realms of photography and printmaking. In its aftermath, photographers documented the widespread destruction, capturing haunting images of the devastation and human resilience, reflecting a new era of social consciousness and realism in Japanese photography. The disaster also played a pivotal role in revitalizing traditional woodblock printmaking, inspiring artists to create powerful and emotionally charged prints that depicted the earthquake's aftermath, offering a bridge between the past and present by blending traditional techniques with contemporary subject matter. This seismic event thus left an indelible mark on Japanese art, pushing it towards greater social engagement and a fusion of modern and traditional artistic sensibilities.

According to family lore, Inagaki found a group of unused postcards during one of the walks he took to survey the devastation. Inspired by his find, he carved a series of stark and dramatic designs that highlighted the devastation he witnessed firsthand for these found postcards. This collection of four woodblock-printed postcards is from this very group. The postcards are printed with a background color and the composition, executed in black or navy, is overprinted onto the colorful background. The designs are raw and direct and have surprising realism in their straightforward simplicity.

Connoisseur's Note

As a resident of Tokyo, Inagaki experienced first-hand the devastating impact of this calamity. His artwork from this time is an important historical record and a significant contribution to Sosaku Hanga. The artist’s work from this period is exceedingly rare. Due to the subject matter, the artist did not produce these designs for commercial purposes, and only a limited number of impressions were produced.