In the Imperial Theater (Teigeki nite)

Subject Matter:

Oda Kazuma

Japan, 1882-1956

 

In the Imperial Theater

Taishō period, (1912-1945)

1920

Lithograph on paper

Gift of the artist, through Mr. and Mrs. Yoshito Yamamoto, 1950/2.3

Oda Kazuma began his career by studying painting. While learning Western-style painting, he became interested in lithography. He was also influenced by his older brother, who was a lithography technician. While first associated with the Shin-hanga style, Oda Kazuma became deeply involved in the Creative Prints movement, or Sosaku-hanga, and in 1918 he was a founding member of Nihon Sosaku Hanga Kyokai. Oda Kazuma focused mostly on lithography, and his painterly style set him apart from his contemporaries. Oda Kazuma was particularly interested in portraying the developing urban landscape in Japan, such as this view of a theater. (From: Fresh Impressions: Early Modern Japanese Prints)

Physical Description:

This print shows a corner of the interior of a theater. A small part of the stage is visible, and two performers stand on the stage. To the left, engulfing the view of the stage, the balconies wind from the lower right to the upper left and fill the top third of the print. The audience is portrayed as dark strokes of seated figures that are not detailed or well defined. The audience sits in darkness.

Usage Rights:

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