Name/Title

Tanbo

Entry/Object ID

1972.2.27

Description

Japanese woodblock print titled "Tanbo" (1962) by Saitō Kiyoshi.

Artwork Details

Medium

Paper, Ink

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Saitō Kiyoshi

Role

Artist

Date made

1962

Time Period

20th Century

Dimensions

Height

22 in

Width

16 in

Interpretative Labels

Label

This work depicts a rice paddy field, or tanbo, capturing Japan's renowned agricultural landscape with an abstract approach. The piece showcases Saitō’s mature style, blending a modern vibrancy with traditional Japanese themes of imperfect and textured spaces. This style originates from the post-war sōsaku-hanga (creative print) movement, where artists aimed to infuse personal expression into their works, and typically completed each step of the printmaking process themselves. Here, a restrained color palette, mainly composed of earthy tones, complements the field’s richness and hints at the calmness of rural life. The contrast of absence and presence establishes a visual rhythm, inviting you to reflect on the harmony between Japan's natural and cultural aesthetics.

Label Type

Credit Line

Label

Label written by Matthew Meade

Label Type

Credit Line

Label

Gift of the Friends of Art Collection at Saint Joseph’s University