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| "Two Samurai" Kunisada |
No surprise that I'm crazy for the patterns, jagged shapes, and rich colors found in 18th-19th c Japanese prints. The Samurai especially are such an amazing mash-up of testosterone and wallpaper, swords and camellias.
In the Kunisada above, I love the skinny line of black-on-green flowers that splits the composition straight down the middle, putting the two warriors in separate spaces and defying the first rule any painting teacher will tell you -- Don't divide the canvas in half, your eye can't resolve it into a whole. Notice in the detail above how the corners of their robes cross the line and touch.
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| Kuniyoshi |
.... shark teeth tunic with swirly, oceany, seaweedy pants
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| Kuniyoshi |
Look at this guy with a skull hovering above his electric hair, holding a mega-sized bamboo-- what is that weapon? some kind of giant blow-gun? Meanwhile leaves are fluttering about, settling on his Samurai pants printed with little blue flowers-- Forget-Me-Nots? Pansies?.....and at his feet is what appears to be blown peony or Southern Magnolia blossom.
I love the arm and leg coverings-- maybe chain mail with padding?
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| Kuniyoshi |
.... the patterns continue on his legs, chest and face.
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| Japanese School- 19th c |
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| Kuniyoshi |
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