'Kashima No Ki'
This black and white original lifetime woodblock print depicts an evening scene of a shrine in Kashima.  It is a landscape scene depicting a snow squall.  Okuyama painted in charcoal or sumi-e style, and he produced many color prints as well.  He studied art under Kasaka Gajin during the difficult economic times of the 1920s, and made his living creating commercial designs for posters and advertising labels eventually establishing his own advertising company in 1931.  During this time he was very active in both the Sosaka and Shin Hanga Movements and exhibited extensively, winning many awards for his woodblock designs.  In 1946 he established the Japan Print Institute – Nihon Hanga Kenkyusho – and he continued to work as a woodblock artist for most of his life. His prints display a fine and creative style and they are among the scarcest of Shin Hanga woodblocks to be found today.  This woodblock dates to c1950 and bears Okuyama's seal in the lower left corner.  The print's sight size is 5.25" x 7.5", and the frame measures 9" x 11".    P4566     $145.00