KAWAKAMI, SUMIO (Artist): - "Maria 15 no himitsu" (Portfolio of fifteen). Privately printed. No place. Showa 38 (1963).

. A privately published work in a limited edition of 50, this is number 45. Signed in red ink by Kawakami. Containing eleven double folded leaves in the fukuro-toji style. With fifteen stencil compositions depicting different Mariology holidays. Four pages with printed title and colophon. All printed in silver on black glossy paper. Protected by tissue guards. Size 18.5 x 23.5 cm. Original paper covered boards decorated in silver, calf spine. Stencil-printed ex-libris on front pastedown. Housed in original cardboard with printed title label, inside a custom made decorated red cloth folder, hand-written title label on top cover (paper inside folder slightly stained). Sumio (or Chosei) Kawakami (1895-1972) was a self-taught Japanese S›saku-hanga artist and print maker. Sôsaku-hanga ("creative prints") was a Japanese art movement of woodblock printing invented in the early 20th century. Kawakami's teacher Onchi K›shir›, one of the most celebrated artists of the early movement, claimed that Kawakami's original style of stencil printing was incomparable. Some very faint toning on the boards, otherwise in fine condition. Impressive and beautiful work that seems very rare.