Fumio Kitaoka - 刈谷の万燈祭 (Kariya Mando Matsuri)

Name: Fumio Kitaoka - 刈谷の万燈祭 (Kariya Mando Matsuri)
Brand: Kumo Arts
Price: 260.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

£260.00

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Fumio Kitaoka’s 1985 Woodblock print “刈谷の万燈祭 (Kariya Mando Matsuri)” bursts with colour as towering 5-m lantern dolls - kabuki heroes, samurai, dragons and other mythical beings - process through Kariya City to the rhythm of flutes and drums. A dazzling tribute to Aichi’s centuries-old lantern festival. 🏮🎎🎶

Year & Edition: 1985 · Ed. of 200 (66/200) (signed, titled & dated in pencil).
Medium: Woodblock.
Dimensions: Sheet W: 47.00 cm × H: 37.50 cm; Image W: 41.00 cm × H: 31.00 cm.
Condition: Fabulous; no marks, blemishes, or discoloration; as new with no signs of prior mounting or framing.
Notes: Held each July at Akiba Shrine in Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture, this 230-year-old festival features massive “Mando” lantern dolls - crafted from hand-made washi paper and bamboo, weighing up to 75 kg - paraded and “danced” through the streets over two days to flute and drum music. Attracting thousands of visitors, the event serves as both a symbolic safeguard against fire accidents and a prayer for rainfall, making it one of the region’s most cherished traditions.

About the Artist

Fumio Kitaoka (1918-2007) was a leading figure in Japan’s sōsaku-hanga movement and a student of both Unichi Hiratsuka and Koshiro Onchi. Known for his quietly powerful landscapes, Kitaoka explored seasonal change, shifting light, and the passage of time. He exhibited and taught internationally from the 1950s onward, and his work is held in major collections including MoMA, Harvard Art Museums, and the Yokohama Museum of Art. [ ← View All Works by Fumio Kitaoka]