Monday, November 11, 2013

BLUE MONDAY XV

Illustrated is another wonderful, colorful and impromptu painting by master wood-block artist; Munakata Shiko. Munakata's spontaneous painting depicts a  gosu blue molded vase by his lifelong friend, Kawai Kanjiro filled with red camilla branches framing the pot along with a line of line of quickly rendered calligraphy. There are quite a few Munakata prints and paintings that use Kawai pottery as a central theme which is a touching tribute to not only their friendship by their great respect for each other and the mingei craft movement.
"Friendship is neither a formality or a mode; it is rather a life."   David Grayson