| Title: |
Calendar for November 1964 (Japanese Festivals & Events: Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu, Karatsu Kunchi, & Betcha Matsuri) |
| Artist: |
Serizawa, Keisuke (Shizuoka, Japan, 1895 - 1984) |
| Date: |
1964 |
| Medium: |
Original Hand-Stenciled Dye Print |
| Publisher: |
Keisuke Serizawa Workshop, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Note: |
Keisuke Serizawa: A world famous designer, painter, illustrator, dyer
and book and print maker, Keisuke Serizawa attracted international attention
as early as 1925 for his distinctive Kataezome style, combining Japanese
dyeing techniques with those of Okinawan bingata. This he applied with
equal success to kimono and fabric patterns, wall hangings, paintings,
fans and original prints. Above all, Keisuke Serizawa became a leading artist of 'Mingei' --
which in Japanese generally means folk art. This original calendar print created for November 1964 is of course
a fine example of Serizawa's Mingei. |
| |
Shortly after the end of World War II, Keisuke Serizawa instituted his
own workshop and teaching studio in his native city of Shizuoka. His reputation
continued to spread and he received the highest award for any artist in
1956 when he was designated a "Living National Treasure" by the Emperor
of Japan. After Serizawa's death in 1984 the Tohoku Fukushi University
in Sendai, Tohoku District, constructed a museum comprised solely of Serizawa's
art. The Keisuke Serizawa Art & Craft Museum now contains over 200
examples of this artist's fabric patterns and wall hangings and about 1,000
examples
of his paper dyeing workshop productions such as original prints, fans
and calendars. |
| |
The art of Keisuke Serizawa has been exhibited world wide. In the United
States his art has been exhibited thus far in two major one man exhibitions.
The first took place in 1979 at the Mingei International Museum in San
Diego and was entitled, "Keisuke Serizawa: A Living National Treasure of
Japan". In 1998, the Riverside Municipal Museum, Riverside,
California, launched a major retrospective entitled, "The Art of Keisuke
Serizawa". |
| |
An important production of Serizawa's workshop was the annual calendars
which he created from the late 1950's to the early 1980's. Each of these
calendars contained thirteen original prints, one for each month and a
frontis-piece design. November was printed as a dye print design for the
1964 calendar and clearly represents a beautiful and original example of
the folk art of Keisuke Serizawa. |
| |
Japanese Festivals & Events in November (Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu 'Feudal Lord's Procession', Karatsu Kunchi 'Festival of Karatsu Shrine', & Betcha Matsuri Purification Festival''): In Japan, there are many holidays and festivals (matsuri) or events that take place during the year as almost every shrine and temple has its own annual local festival to celebrate their deity. One of the most important elements in Japanese festivals are the processions or the parade of floats (yata) carrying and displaying their local shrine through the town. Some of these rituals are modest, others are massive bringing together millions of people. Japanese festivals are often accompanied by traditional local music and dance, and with participants wearing some of the most beautiful traditional garments representing various time periods. Some of these events are loud and boisterous with fantastic fireworks while others are quiet and meditative. One of the most important things to keep in mind is the ability of the Japanese people to maintain their traditional beliefs.
The following three celebrations take place in the month of July. |
| |
Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu: The autumn cultural festival known as Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu (Feudal Lord's Procession), takes place at Yumoto Onsen in Hakone, west of Tokyo, and is held on November 3rd, which is a Japanese national holiday called Bunka no Hi (Cultural Day). Today the ' Daimyo Gyoretsu' consists of a lord's parade and a mikoshi parade, and floats (mikoshi are elaborately decorated portable shrines). As the daimyo procession is meant to commemorate the feudal lord's annual, sometimes biannual journey to Edo (Tokyo) to attend the shogun, the participants dress in traditional feudal period costumes. The parade includes the lord (transported in a palanquin), samurai warriors, court attendants, bearers with equipment, geisha, & Japanese princesses. They are also accompanied by traditional Japanese marching bands, and dancers known as geigi. This event is also held in Sanjo, Japan (May 15-16) and Yuzawa, Japan (3rd weekend of August). The term, 'Daimyo' , first used in the eleventh century was designated to major landowners, and was also a title given to powerful lords governing large territories, and in command of a vast number of vassals. |
| |
Karatsu Kunchi: The annual Autumn Karatsu Kunchi (Festival of Karatsu Shrine), designated a festival of 'National Cultural Importance' is a three day festival that begins November 2nd and ends on the 4th. It takes place in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, north west of Kyushu. Its greatest attractions are the fourteen massive hikiyama (floats), that can weigh as much as five tons. Created in the images of dragons, lions, and other Japanese mythological creatures and objects, the floats are most often made of wood, then exquisitely decorated with intricate carvings, and lacquered with gold and silver gold leaf. The procession of floats (hauled by people) is also accompanied by mikoshi (elaborately decorated portable shrines) and traditional Japanese music. The floats are permanently displayed at the Hikiyama Exhibition hall adjacent to the Karatsu-jinja Shrine in Karatsu. |
| |
Betcha Matsuri: The Betcha Matsuri (Purification Festival) is also a three day event which begins on the 1st of November and ends on the 3rd, and is held in the city of Onomichi, Hiroshima, prefecture. This festival was originally created to appease the gods during the outbreak of an epidemic. It features a procession of omikoshi (portable shrines) that are carried through the town in order to pray for the health of its people. The omikoshi are led by three men wearing masks, representing the demons, 'Soba', 'Beta', and Shouki'. They dance to music played on drums and bells while they perform the 'purification' ritual, blessing the children, and their parents with their Iwaibou (ceremonial rods) and Sasara (bamboo whisks). The origins of this festival may date back to the beginning of the 17th century when the plague swept through the town of Onomichi. At this time, superstition was prevalent, and it was believed that certain spirits had the power to heal and ward off illness, so in an attempt to control the epidemic, local shrines were ordered to perform purification rights. Betcha Matsuri has been designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Onomichi. Note: Supernatural apparitions, demons, fiends, ogres, goblins, or manifestations), commonly known in Japan as Oni and Yokai (Youkai), have been around in Japanese legends for centuries. Stories of the exploits of those worshiped as gods, and the misdeeds of the threatening, dark forces behind the noxious and sinister nature of those thought to be demons have been passed down through legends and folklore, eventually making their way into popular culture. |
| Size: |
12 X 10 1/2 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
| |
Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
| Condition: |
Printed upon hand-made mulberry (rice) paper and with full margins as
published by the Keisuke Serizawa workshop in 1964. A finely printed, full
colour impression and in excellent condition throughout. November 1964 is a
fine, original example of the famous Mingei art of Keisuke Serizawa. |
| Price: |
Sold - The price is no longer available. |
| Important Information: |
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