Product Description

7005 A lacquered wood okimono (decorative object) in the form of a katsuo (skipjack tuna) on a lacquered wood stand.

Japan 20th century Shōwa period

Signed: Kyūka saku (made by Kyūka)

Inscribed on the tomobako (original box) lid: Kanshitsu katsuo okimono Kyūka saku (lacquered wood skipjack tuna decorative object made by Kyūka)

Sealed: seal illegible

Inscribed on the wrapping cloth: Katsuo okimono daihyo (Bonito fish okimono base wrap)

Dimensions:
Fish: H. 4½” x L.15″ (11.5 cm x 38 cm)
Base: W. 13″ x 32″ (33 cm x 81.5 cm)

Okumura Kyūka (1898-1945) given name Shinkichi was a painter and sculptor. A committee member of the Kyoto branch of Japan Proletarian Artists Federation, he played an instrumental part in organizing a funeral tribute to commemorate the death of Yamamoto Senji (1889-1929) a Left-wing Communist politician murdered by a Right-wing terrorist. The tribute was in the form of a painting by Okumura Shinkichi, Yoshida Keikichi and other members of the Federation.

Works by the artist can be found in the collections of Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art.