Design for the Poster of the 17th Nihon Suisaigakaiten Exhibition (日本水彩画会展ポスターのための下絵)
Date
Credits
- Harue Koga 2 Artist
Media
- paper 2214
- ink 562
- watercolor 50
- pencil 28
Dimensions
Locations Made
- Tokyo Japan 33
Links
This piece is a poster design created in 1930 by Harue Koga (1895–1933), a pioneer of early Japanese Surrealism, for the 17th Nihon Suisaigakaiten (Japan Watercolor Painting Society) Exhibition. It was produced just one year after his absolute masterpiece, The Sea (1929).
During this period, Japan's art was heavily influenced by Western avant-garde movements such as Surrealism, Futurism, and Constructivism. This design beautifully reflects the modern energy of that era. The composition features a blend of modern motifs, which include a hot-air balloon, a dynamic human figure, a flower, and a stylized female form at the bottom, integrated with the bold, hand-lettered text reading "第十七回 日本水彩画会 展覧會." It perfectly captures the sophisticated, graphic aesthetic of the early Shōwa era.
While Koga is best known as a pioneer of Western-style oil painting (Yōga) in Japan, he maintained a deep passion for watercolors from the beginning of his career and regularly participated in exhibitions. This work stands as a historically valuable record of his active contribution to the watercolor movement, bridging the worlds of fine art and commercial graphic design.
