Rakusan (Rakuzan) (1896 - 1976 )
Rakusan (Rakuzan) Tsuchiya captured the natural world through lush compositions, rich color and sparkling embellishments. Trained as a painter, Rakusan gained renown as a woodblock print artist through his self-published kacho-e prints, or bird and flower pictures. In these natural vignettes, he brought fresh perspective to classic pairings of bird and bloom. Born in Hyogo prefecture, Rakusan worked in Kyoto. He also used the name Rakusan Koshisei. In 1913, he became the pupil of the influential painter Seiho Takeuchi. During 1920s through 1950s, Rakusan built a successful career as a print artist. He produced his most successful series, Rakusan Kacho Gafu (Rakusan Flower and Bird Series), between 1929 and 1933. Based on paintings he had completed between 1925 and 1929, the 100 large-scale woodblock prints proved so popular that many designs remained in print until his studio closed in 1955. The three resulting editions can be distinguished through their watermarks. In the late 1940s, Rakusan reached an American audience through his partnership with Walter T. Foster. The California-based publisher became a good friend of Rakusan and published artists book The Art of Rakusan Tsuchiya, Famous Print Maker of Japan in the 1950s. Though the expected romanization of the artist's name is "Rakuzan," the artist preferred the spelling "Rakusan."
21 Products
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Beach at Low Tide and Long-billed Ringed Plovers (Early Spring)
JPR-112000
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Privet and Narcissus Flycatchers (Early Spring)
JPR-111986
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Sweet Flag Flowers and Straw-raincloaked Little Egrets (Winter)
JPR-111982
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Wild Pear Flowers and Cuckoo (Late Spring)
JP110343
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Beautyberry and Siberian Rubythroats (Winter)
JPR-112042
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Tawny Daylily and White-winged Widowbird (Early Summer)
JPR-111996
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Wild Camellia Flowers and Crested Mynas (Early Spring)
JPR-111994
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Quince Flowers and Meadow Buntings (Mid-spring)
JPR-111984
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Red Pea and Oriental Greenfinches (Late Spring)
JPR-111972
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
White Wisteria and Hill Myna (Late Spring)
JPR-111966
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Tea Flowers and Daurian Redstarts (Winter)
JPR-111964
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Gingko Tree in Fruit and Black Kite (Mid Summer)
JP110345
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Omuro Cherry and Flock of Tree Sparrows (Mid-spring)
JPR-111980
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Fringed Iris Flowers and Brown Dipper (Mid-spring)
JPR-111968
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Arrowhead and Painted Snipe (Mid-summer)
JPR-111974
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Large-berry Winterberry and Red Crossbills (Early Winter)
JPR-111988
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Weeping Willow and Flock of Barn Swallows (Mid Spring)
JPR-111998
Rakusan (Rakuzan)
Early Autumn: Acacia Birds (love-bird) and Red-Fuyo (Rose Mallow Hibiscus )
JPR-111378