Ido Masao "Sentai Bridge" From the woodblock print collection "Dekayama" 1981 Edition: 154 / 200 This work, "Sentai Bridge," depicts the climax of the Seihakusai Festival, held in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, as the enormous "Dekayama" float approaches the bridge. The Dekayama is approximately 12 meters tall, with wheels approximately 2 meters in diameter. Its impressive size barely clears the bridge. The people watch the moment with bated breath, while men lean all their weight onto the ropes and raise their voices. "Sentai Bridge" is the scene of this turning point. Masao Ido depicts this grand festival using limited gradations of black, white, and gray. By eschewing decorative colors and depicting "movement," "tension," "breathing," "bustle," and "shadow" using only lines and shading, the artist vividly recreates the audience's gaze and the atmosphere at the scene. A world without color may appear tranquil, but it is instead filled with the "heat" dwelling within the crowd. While works from the same series, "Uomachi," "Kajimachi," and "Fuchumachi," are primarily painted from the perspective of those pulling and supporting, "Sentai Bridge" is clearly different. This work places the "spectator's gaze" at its center. In the foreground, the heads and backs of spectators can be seen. A huge mountain can be seen looking up over their shoulders. In the distance, figures rise swaying upward, filling the bridge. In other words, within this painting, the viewer actually becomes a spectator watching the festival. This is Ido's aim "the gaze of someone watching traditional performing arts from the outside." ◆About Ido Masao(井堂雅夫)◆ Masao Ido is a leading contemporary woodblock artist based in Kyoto, and produced numerous woodblock prints from the Showa and Heisei eras. During Japan's postwar reconstruction period, he established his own unique style that combined a modern sense of composition and beautiful colors while inheriting the techniques of traditional ukiyo-e woodblock printing. After spending his childhood in Hiroshima, he moved to Kyoto and studied under woodblock artist Inao Uchida. Since the 1970s, he has established his own studio, the Kyoto Hanga-in, and has received high acclaim at solo exhibitions and exhibitions both in Japan and abroad. Awards and exhibitions (partial excerpt) 1976: First selected for the Nitten Exhibition 1980: Received the Nitten Special Award (unusual for a woodblock artist) 1987: Exhibited at the Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Exhibition 1990 and after: Solo exhibitions in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, etc. Received the Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Merit Award (posthumous award) His works are still held in many museums and public facilities in Japan, as well as in the collections of Japanese art lovers overseas. [Size] Overall size 44×56.3cm Picture 27.5×39.3cm [Condition] Good condition Please note that this is a very good old piece and may have deteriorated over time. Please check the photos for details. Any taxes related to international shipping must be borne by the purchaser. ※Recently, there has been an increase in products being returned to Japan without paying customs duties and consumption tax upon receipt. It is the buyer's responsibility to pay customs duties and consumption tax, so please be sure to pay them. Tax rates vary by country, so please check in advance. Occasionally, customs or the delivery company in your country may contact you for customs clearance via phone or email. Kindly ensure you are available to respond. Failure to do so may result in the parcel being returned to me, incurring additional shipping fees for reshipment. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. I will pack the item securely, but there may be cases where the item is repackaged at customs or damaged upon arrival due to a mistake by the shipping company. If this happens, please contact me immediately. Please promptly send me a photo of the item when it arrives and a photo of the damage to the item. We will provide refunds depending on the situation.