Lot 87: Un'Ichi Hiratsuka (Japanese/American, 1895-1997), " 'R' Street, Georgetown," woodblock

Un'Ichi Hiratsuka (Japanese/American, 1895-1997), " 'R' Street, Georgetown," woodblock print on paper, signed at lower right and titled at lower left, measures 3.50 x 6 inches to the edge of the image, 12 x 14.75 inches overall in the frame. CONDITION: Good. Un'ichi Hiratsuka was a Japanese print-maker born in Matsue, Shimane, Japan. He was one of the prominent leaders of the s?saku hanga movement in 20th century Japan. Between 1935 and 1944 Hiratsuka taught the first blockprinting course at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. He moved to Washington D.C. in 1962 and spent thirty-three years in the United States. While living in Washington D.C., he was commissioned by three standing Presidents to carve woodblock prints of National Landmarks, which included The Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument and The Library of Congress which are in the collections of The National Gallery and Freer Gallery today. He ultimately returned to Japan in 1994. Hiratsuka was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government in 1970. In 1991, the Hiratsuka Unichi Print Museum was opened in Suzaka, Nagano.

measures 3.50 x 6 inches to the edge of the image, 12 x 14.75 inches overall in the frame

woodblock print

Good

Private Collection, West Virginia