- Kamiyagawa (Kamiya River, Kyoto) -

The beautiful woodblock print “Kamiyagawa” (Kamiya River, Kyoto) is by Akira Kurosaki (1937–2019). This charming work beautifully depicts Kyoto’s iconic mountains, shrines, and other celebrated landmarks scattered along the Kamiya River, creating a composition that gracefully blends tradition with modern design. In the background appear a full moon, white birds soaring through the sky, a pagoda rising quietly from the mountains, and a red torii gate peeking out from among cherry blossoms in full bloom. Though modest in size, the print is richly imbued with the spirit and atmosphere of Kyoto.

While Kurosaki is renowned for vivid compositions rooted in traditional woodblock printing techniques and characterized by bold reds and blacks, this particular work reveals a softer and more distinctly Japanese sensibility. Its gentle mood and refined elegance lend the piece a uniquely captivating charm that quietly sparkles.

Akira Kurosaki (1937–2019) was born in Dalian, Manchuria (present-day China), and raised in Kobe, Japan. Around 1950, he began attending the Shinseisaku Kobe Institute in Ashiya. In 1962, he graduated from Kyoto University of Industrial Arts and Textile Fibers. Influenced by the rich and intense coloration of late-Edo period ukiyo-e prints, he began creating woodblock prints around 1965.

In 1967, Kurosaki received the Newcomer Award at the 41st Kokugakai Exhibition. Thereafter, he established a distinguished career as an artist, exhibiting actively both in Japan and abroad while receiving numerous awards and accolades. Alongside his artistic practice, he also made significant contributions as a scholar of printmaking history and as an educator in the field of printmaking.

Technique: Woodblock
Paper size:  8 and 1/4 x 11 and 3/4 inches (21 x 30 cm)
Image size: 5 and 1/2 x 7 and 7/8 inches (14 x 20 cm)
Sheet number: 24/30 
Date: 2006
Signed: Hand-signed on the bottom margin.
Condition: Very good condition. There are a couple of pinhead-sized ink spots along the lower right margin edge, which will be matted out.
*Handmade Japanese washi paper may contain bark bits or natural impurities.

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