Project Description
This monochrome woodblock print depicts a man prostrate with angels alongside him. Above the man and angels, there is a chariot driven by God. Hiroshi, or Yo, Iwashita was born in 1917, but beyond that little is known about the artist. His woodblock prints are considered highly popular and continue in the long Japanese tradition of woodblock prints. Iwashita frequently sought religious inspiration for his prints and incorporated traditional biblical scenes into his prints. Iwashita’s style of printmaking roughly resembles that of Munakata Shiko, one of the best known Creative Print masters. Like Shiko, Iwashita used thick lines and well-defined figures. The print Elijah reflects a movement in twentieth century Japan that drew upon a base of Western Expressionism as well as traditional Japanese woodblock prints.
-Charla Hamilton, Class of 2015