Description
Fuji Nakamizo-Landscape with Pond-Japanese-AmericanModern Artist–1930s
About the Artist Fuji (Fugi) Nakamizo (1889–1950) was a Japanese-American painter, printmaker,and illustrator. Born in Fukai, Japan, Nakamizo moved to New York City in 1910,where he trained at the Art Students League and Cooper Union Art School. There,he studied under master landscape painters such as Frank Vincent DuMond, aswell as prominent printmakers and illustrators like Joseph Pennell. I could notfind information about his training prior to emigrating to the United States,but many of his works clearly reflect the influence of East Asian watercolortraditions.
By the 1930s, Nakamizo began to gain broad recognitionfor his prints and paintings. In 1934, the Montross Gallery in New York hostedhis solo exhibition. His works were also included in the Annual Exhibition ofthe Brooklyn Society of Miniature Painters and in the International Exhibitionof Watercolors, Pastels, Drawings, and Monotypes during the 1930s. Today, hisworks are held in major collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art,the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian American ArtMuseum.
After World War II began, Fuji Nakamizo was detained inthe Japanese American internment camp at Topaz, Utah, which disrupted hiscareer. He passed away shortly afterward, in 1950.
About the Artwork This painting clearly shows Nakamizo’s effort to bring Japanese and Chinesewatercolor techniques into Western landscape painting. While the compositionfollows more European or American traditions, the layered washes with dilutedblack ink, the use of dry brush, and the careful organization of negative spaceare clearly inherited from East Asian painting methods. This is especiallyevident in the water area, where Nakamizo conveyed a sense of peacefulnesswhile keeping the space full of visual intrigue. Two dashes of orange bring theentire image to life.
This painting is on laid paper and is in fair condition.The upper right corner has a small tear, and the lower left corner has acrease. On the back, remnants of tape from previous mountings and a diagonalfold mark are visible. The paper shows minor discoloration consistent with itsage.
Painting Details
- Size: 12 × 9 in
- Technique: Watercolor on laid paper
- Condition: Fair – Small tear on upper right corner, crease on lower left corner, tapes on top edge, diagonal fold mark, minor discoloration, minor foxing, unframed
Provenance
- South Bay Auctions Inc., NYC
Signature
- Signed lower right, Nakamizo with monogram and 1932
Disclaimer: I have conducted thorough research to ensure the accuracy and attribution ofthis piece to the best of my ability. However, it is sold as is, with noguarantees or warranties regarding authorship or provenance.
