Shuzo Ikeda - Koi Nobori

Shuzo Ikeda (1922–2004)

Date: 1980's
Publisher: Watanabe
Size: 5 1/2" x 6 1/4"
Genre: Landscape, Shin-hanga
Medium: Woodblock Print

Two children watching a traditional koi fish kite. From a group of contemporary woodblocks published for annual calendars on high-quality washi paper. Subjects range from landscapes and city scenes to figures and abstract designs.

Shuzo Ikeda (1922–2004) was a Japanese woodblock print artist celebrated for his warm, expressive depictions of children, animals, and scenes from everyday life. His prints are admired for their gentle charm and their distinctive use of the natural wood grain, which adds texture, depth, and character to each composition.

Born in Kisakata-machi, Akita Prefecture, Ikeda graduated from Tokyo Higher Normal School in 1945. After teaching from 1946 to 1955, he devoted himself to printmaking full-time in Tokyo and became a member of the Nihon Hanga Kyokai (Japan Print Association).

Working in the moku hanga tradition, Ikeda designed, carved, and printed his own works. A hallmark of his style was his deliberate incorporation of the woodblock's natural grain into his compositions, allowing the texture of the wood to become an integral part of the finished image. This technique gives his prints a rich, tactile quality and contributes to the warmth and individuality for which they are best known.

Condition - Excellent overall with no issues to report.