Accession Number
2011/2.49

Title
Kocho (B) Butterflies

Artist(s)
Nakayama Tadashi

Object Creation Date
1993

Medium & Support
color woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
11 7/8 in. x 14 1/8 in. ( 30.16 cm x 35.88 cm )

Credit Line
Gift of Sheila and Ronnie Cresswell

Subject matter
Nakayama’s works can be divided into three periods; the first (early) period from 1955-1964, the second (middle) period from 1965-1968, and the third (late) period from 1969 to his last painting. In the first period, the common theme is horses. Moreover, he began experimenting with portraying girls, although the girls aren’t as developed and controlled as in later periods. He began portraying butterflies of different colors and sizes, he experimented with architecture, and he painted in most brown and green shades. The second period, he developed a new theme where he started portraying the horses with flowers, mostly pansies and poppies, and butterflies. The background colors also became lighter than in the first period. During this period he became more comfortable and controlled with his work; there is greater depth and motion on the page. In the third period, the subject of the prints mostly portrays a girl and he starts to use more complicated patterns and colors. He also gained a greater mastery over showing perspective.

Physical Description
A girl with her head and body in profile, her brown hair is highlighted mostly blue with white and gold strands, gold curls, and green yellow, red, and orange dots. She is wearing a brown, blue, gold, pink, and white shirt. Her hand is held out in front of her. The background is mostly coverd with a large butterfly, one half of its wings blue with gold stripes, the other half solid tan; in the middle of the large butterfly is a smaller white butterfly. The background behind the butterfly is made up of four blue and black squares with blue and tan butterflies scattered around.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
blue
butterflies (general)
color prints (prints)
girls
patterns (design elements)
profiles (figures)