Country Road, No. 4

Date:: 1981
Medium:: Color woodblock print
Edition:: Self-printed
Source:: Art Institute of Chicago

Typical Price

$1,000–$6,000. Common subjects: $1,000–$2,000. Key value factors: Tanaka's exquisite farmhouse etchings are beloved by collectors worldwide. Since his death in 2019, prices have firmed. Traditional thatched-roof subjects are most popular.

Description

"Country Road, No. 4" is a sosaku-hanga print by Tanaka Ryohei, created during the Showa and Heisei periods. This abstract work reflects the artist's exploration of form, color, and texture through the printing medium.

Tanaka Ryohei approaches abstraction through the unique constraints and possibilities of printmaking, where the grain of the material, the pressure of the tool, and the interaction of pigment and paper all contribute to the final image. His meticulous linework captures the weathered textures of thatched roofs and wooden structures with extraordinary sensitivity and warmth.

This print represents Tanaka Ryohei's contribution to the sosaku-hanga tradition during the Showa and Heisei periods. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.