秋山岩男 • 雷神（雷の神） (1979) • 日本の木版画 - Japan - 20th century
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Japan, from a private collection, original 1979 mokuhanga woodblock print by Akiyama Iwao titled Raijin, the Thunder God, 50 × 40 cm, edition 44/100, in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: AKIYAMA Iwao (秋山巌, 1921–2014)
Title: Raijin 雷神 — "The Thunder God"
Series / context: From Akiyama's long-running Santōka cycle (種田山頭火 haiku prints); issued as one of a pendant pair with Fūjin 風神, the Wind God
Technique: Woodblock print (mokuhanga), sōsaku-hanga, sumi with hand-applied red, on flecked handmade washi
Date: 1979 (dated in pencil)
Edition: 44/100 (pencil)
Format: approx. 50*40cm
Signature: Hand-signed Akiyama Iwao (秋山巌) in pencil at lower right, titled 雷神 and numbered/dated in pencil in the lower margin; red artist's seal at lower right
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Condition
Excellent. A fresh, well-inked impression. The paper is in excellent condition with minor toning along the margins.
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About the work
Thunder arrives as a single black mass. Akiyama cuts the god almost entirely as negative space: a bulk of dense sumi from which claws, a fanged mouth and a shock of wild hair emerge, with two red eyes struck in by hand — the only colour in the sheet, and the point the whole design turns on. Above the figure an arc of rounded forms curves overhead in the manner of Raijin's traditional ring of drums; below, the black resolves into two great spirals of storm cloud. The impression is deliberately rough-edged, the block leaving torn, dry-brushed contours rather than clean outlines, so the god seems to have been struck onto the paper rather than printed.
Carved into the lower half in Akiyama's blunt, chiselled hand is the accompanying free-verse haiku by Taneda Santōka (種田山頭火, 1882–1940), signed with the poet's name at left:
雷をまぢかに覚めてかしこまる
Woken by thunder close overhead — I kneel.
The joke, and the tenderness, is in the pairing: a terrifying deity above, and beneath him a small itinerant monk startled out of sleep and instinctively sitting up straight. Santōka's poems supplied Akiyama with subjects for four decades, and the two men had in fact met.
The support is a warm cream handmade washi heavily flecked with bark inclusions and coloured fibre — the coarse, organic paper Akiyama used throughout his career, and an essential part of the effect: the stark silhouette floats on a ground that is itself alive with texture.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Artist: AKIYAMA Iwao (秋山巌, 1921–2014)
Title: Raijin 雷神 — "The Thunder God"
Series / context: From Akiyama's long-running Santōka cycle (種田山頭火 haiku prints); issued as one of a pendant pair with Fūjin 風神, the Wind God
Technique: Woodblock print (mokuhanga), sōsaku-hanga, sumi with hand-applied red, on flecked handmade washi
Date: 1979 (dated in pencil)
Edition: 44/100 (pencil)
Format: approx. 50*40cm
Signature: Hand-signed Akiyama Iwao (秋山巌) in pencil at lower right, titled 雷神 and numbered/dated in pencil in the lower margin; red artist's seal at lower right
----------------------------------------------------------------
Condition
Excellent. A fresh, well-inked impression. The paper is in excellent condition with minor toning along the margins.
-------------------------------------------------------
About the work
Thunder arrives as a single black mass. Akiyama cuts the god almost entirely as negative space: a bulk of dense sumi from which claws, a fanged mouth and a shock of wild hair emerge, with two red eyes struck in by hand — the only colour in the sheet, and the point the whole design turns on. Above the figure an arc of rounded forms curves overhead in the manner of Raijin's traditional ring of drums; below, the black resolves into two great spirals of storm cloud. The impression is deliberately rough-edged, the block leaving torn, dry-brushed contours rather than clean outlines, so the god seems to have been struck onto the paper rather than printed.
Carved into the lower half in Akiyama's blunt, chiselled hand is the accompanying free-verse haiku by Taneda Santōka (種田山頭火, 1882–1940), signed with the poet's name at left:
雷をまぢかに覚めてかしこまる
Woken by thunder close overhead — I kneel.
The joke, and the tenderness, is in the pairing: a terrifying deity above, and beneath him a small itinerant monk startled out of sleep and instinctively sitting up straight. Santōka's poems supplied Akiyama with subjects for four decades, and the two men had in fact met.
The support is a warm cream handmade washi heavily flecked with bark inclusions and coloured fibre — the coarse, organic paper Akiyama used throughout his career, and an essential part of the effect: the stark silhouette floats on a ground that is itself alive with texture.
Seller's Story
I've been collecting Japanese woodblock prints for quite a while now — everything from classic ukiyo-e to shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga. What started as a personal passion eventually turned into something more, and these days I source prints from auctions, galleries, and private collections across Japan and Europe.
With growing worldwide interest in Japanese woodblock prints, gallery prices have been climbing steadily. My goal is simple: offer high-quality, authentic prints at reasonable prices. I'm picky about what I sell — I look for pieces that have been stored properly, kept flat, and are free from serious foxing, stains, or damage.
I'm based in Germany, which means EU buyers won't deal with any import duties or taxes. For US buyers, original artworks under HS code 9702 are duty-free as well. And wherever you are, I pack everything carefully with multiple layers of protection so your print arrives safely.
If you have questions about a piece, just reach out. You will get access to contact me once you've won an item from my lots.
Details
王朝様式/時代
20th century
アイテム数
1
原産国
Japan
帰属
Original
高さ
50 cm
幅
40 cm
作品タイトル
AKIYAMA Iwao • Raijin, the Thunder God (1979) • Japanese Woodblock Print
コンディション
Good condition
来歴
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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