I was recently searching the internet for images on the theme of Mermaids, Nereids, and/or Sea Nymphs for some ideas relating to a painting I am currently plotting out. Unfortunately the vast majority of the images that I came upon were either of the sickly-sweet “Little Mermaid” variety… … or one of the equally kitsch adolescent sci-fi/fantasy portrayals of an overly sexualized mermaid or sea nymph (as in nympho) pin-up rendered in airbrush or CGI: What I was thinking was something a bit more more sophisticated… especially something along the lines of Gustav Klimt’s Water Serpents… Among the few paintings of any real merit, there was Herbert Draper’s Sea Nymphs… … and Icarus’ Lament: There was also Gennady Spirin’s Little Mermaid… … with the shimmering brushwork that reminds me of the paintings of the 19th century French Symbolist, Henri Fantin-Latour: Unfortunately, the face of the drowned sailor in Spirin’s painting lacks Fantin-Latour’s classicism. Instead it has something of the cheesy look of of Japanese anime. Another fascinating image was that of Mermaid by Adrian Borda: The idea of the mermaid hung upside down like the latest catch at the fish market is quite unique. The cross from which she is hung obviously suggests Christ… an allusion reinforced by the fish image, although one might also think of St. Peter, the “fisher of men” whose martyrdom involved being crucified upside-down. The arrow is at once phallic… but also suggests still another martyrdom: that of St. Sebastian. Unfortunately, much of the strength of these allusions and their potential as a work of visual art is wholly undermined by the juvenile obsession with perfect surgically enhanced boobs and the fashion model’s face. One of the most interesting images I happened upon was that of a painting of a Mermaid by the Indian artist, Ashok Bhowmick: Many of Bhowmick’s paintings are rooted in Middle-Eastern and Indian mythology, and looking at this painting in particular, I cannot help but think of the famous Babylonian sculpture of Ishtar, the Goddess of Fertility, Love, War and Sex: The most fortuitous discovery during this entire search, however, was that of this Mermaid by Enoki Toshiyuki: It isn’t that this particular painting of a mermaid is something truly outstanding (it isn’t)… nor even the fact that Toshiyuki painted more than a single image of the theme: No… rather it is that delving deeper into Toshiyuki’s work I discovered a truly marvelous painter and illustrator hitherto unknown to me. ***** Enoki Toshiyuki: Most of the information available on Toshiyuki on the internet is in Japanese. What I have been able to uncover concerning his biography is quite minimal. He was born in 1961 in Tokyo. He earned both a Bachelors and Masters of Arts degree from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and continued on with a post-graduate fellowship at the same institution. Since 2001 he has taught design at the school and worked as an artist and illustrator. His training… and subsequent work has involved employing both traditional Japanese and Western painting methods. He favors using old worn brushes and a palette of colors that suggest something at once weathered and antique… as well as new. His light, often transparent touch and his use of gold leaf dispersed throughout the paintings creates a magical atmospheric effect. Toshiyuki can be a marvelous portraitist: He has done a number of quite lovely self-portraits: His painting of a young girl in traditional Japanese folk garb is quite beautiful: However, it is his reveries… daydreams… nocturnes… fantasies that are the most intriguing among his figurative work: The ethereal and tenuous nature of these paintings owe much to the artist’s use of traditional Japanese methods of painting with dry pigment, while there are also elements suggestive more of the Momoyama period Japanese screen paintings with their bold, flat, graphic imagery and use of gold leaf. Toshiyuki also claims influences from Western artists such as Gustav Klimt and late 19th century illustrators such as Arthur Rackham. The artist spent a deal of time working at a zoo, and this experience helped to inspire a fascination with animals that has fueled many of his paintings: A great many of Toshiyuki’s paintings involve the exploration of mythological themes… Eastern and Western. His interest in animals carries over into this exploration of mythology with images of a variety of mythological beasts: Among the mythological beasts that Toshiyuki has repeatedly explored in his work we find the traditional Asian dragon… And the Peacock/Phoenix/Firebird: The decorative nature of these paintings… and the manner in which they are seen as part of an entire architectural space suggests the famous “Peacock Room” of James Whistler: This may be a case of the cyclical nature of cultural influence, as Whistler was profoundly inspired by Japanese art and design. Toshiyuki has also explored Western mythological themes… such as Eve and the garden of Eden: … or even the Western folk-tale of Little Red Riding Hood: In this marvelous painting, Toshiyuki employs a disjointed space that owes both to Asian concepts of a tilted point of view, and Western post-Cubist ideas. In the top right we see a delicious still-life/landscape detail: catfish swimming in a small pond… while directly to the left our view changes and we are looking up at birds in the spiraling sky. Below, Red Riding Hood seemingly lies on the grass… taking a break on her trek to grandma’s house… while almost hidden beneath the foliage at the bottom right the wolf peers out hungrily. Nature… and the landscape… common traditional obsessions of Japanese art are major themes for Toshiyuki. This is true whether he is exploring images of human beings confronted by the overwhelming nature of the cosmos… … or the deep, dark secrets of the forests at night: Then he can turn around and explore the beauty of a waterfall with a Zen-like simplicity… and near abstraction: Perhaps the most intriguing painting by Toshiyuki (of that which I’ve seen) is his triptych: Rainy Forest; Water’s Edge; Story Teller: This work combines several of Toshiyuki’s thematic obsessions: landscape, mythology, and animals. In the left panel, Rainy Forest, the title say it all… as we are presented with an image of a tropical rain forest… spider monkeys in the trees above… and a tarantula on the ground below: In the center panel, Water’s Edge (River’s Head) we are presented with another view of nature… this one being more suggestive of traditional Japanese and Chinese landscape painting with the image stacked up vertically, a view of a waterfall, and a vines twisting and turning in an almost calligraphic manner. In the final painting, Story Teller, two figures (are they human or ape?) sit on a mountain top looking up at the stars which are seen as a shimmer of scattered gold dust. The title suggests that the elder figure is telling stories of the nature of the stars… creation… the gods… and the cosmos. As a result, the stars begin to take form… in the manner of the Western astrological symbols: Toshiyuki is certainly an artist I will be keeping my eye upon. It seems that I am not alone in this as this last triptych was recently sold for more than a decent sum of money at a Christie’s auction of Modern and Contemporary Asian Art.
Toshiyuki ENOKI (1961 born) Educated in several different genres of lacquer painting, traditional Japanese painting and western painting, Toshiyuki Enoki's works are an amalgamation of the new and aged, reality and myth. This artist strives to antiquate his works, not only in his thematic tribute to well known traditional artists such as Maruyama Oukyou also in his artist process. Using particularly worn brushes, Enoki cyclically paints, erases and transfers images for his works to create a unique atmospheric depiction of Nature. As with all four pieces, the details brushstrokes and overall reflective surface is reminiscent of lacquer works which served as an inspiration for the artist. His selected warm colour palette and scattered gold leaf across his canvas creates an overall magical and tranquil depiction in these four featured paintings. In Water's Edge (Lot 490) and Spring (Lot 554), Toshiyuki paints a serene forest with strangely flat fish who meander freely in the water. In both pieces, the viewer gets a sense of the profound respect the Japanese people have for Nature. Perhaps in replacing the human figure with a monkey one, we find that in three of his paintings, the monkey is a mere observer, entranced by the grandeur and power of his surrounds. In Rainy Forest (Lot 490) we find these contemplative monkeys, staring up into the starry night filled with constellations. The falling gold flecks not only resemble a shower of stars but a godly aura from the heavens. Again the motif of monkeys is seen in Story Teller (Lot 490) where they playfully swing from the branches; their stature small against the grand landscape. The artist's works subtly suggest that humans must remember that we are greater part of Nature and that its greatness cannot be forgotten. Enoki similarly venerates the generation of artists before him with his careful painterly techniques and ancient impression. http://artistspotlights.milliande.com/search?updated-max=2011-08-16T03:44:00-07:00&max-results=9&start=8&by-date=false http://enokitoshi.blog88.fc2.com/ http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5079157 http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/08/enoki-toshiyuki-born-in-tokyo-1961-here.html http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/toshiyuki-enoki http://klimtbalan.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/toshiyuki-enoki/
Educated in several different genres of Lacquer painting, traditional Japanese painting and western painting, Toshiyuki Enoki's works are an amalgamation of the new and aged, reality and myth. This artist strives to antiquate his works, not only in his thematic tribute to well known traditional artists such as Maruyama Oukyou also in his artist process.
Toshiyuki Enoki born 1961 in Tokyo, Japan more: Google pictures Christie's Tutt'art Pinterest
Enoki Toshiyuki
Educated in several different genres of Lacquer painting, traditional Japanese painting and western painting, Toshiyuki Enoki's works are an amalgamation of the new and aged, reality and myth. This artist strives to antiquate his works, not only in his thematic tribute to well known traditional artists such as Maruyama Oukyou also in his artist process.
Scenery of Home by Toshiyuki Fukuda. Size: MEDIUM 9 x 12 inches (23 x 30,5 cm.) in size and LARGE 16 x 20 inches (40,5 x 50,8 cm.).. Giclée print of an original drawing. Technique: after drawing a rough sketch with pencil on a paper, Toshiyuki pastes tissue paper over it with medium and waits for it to dry. He then proceeds to color it with acrylic gouache and adds collage. Lastly, instant coffee is sprinkled on top, which is spread with water-based varnish, and coated as a final touch. Each print in this series of 25, comes with a certificate of authenticity, numbered and signed with the date of printing. Printed on artist- quality pigment and acid free cotton paper. Unframed. While all prints come unframed, they all fit standard frame sizes and standard pre-cut mat sizes (read: you won’t ever need to pay for pricey custom framing). Category: Gouache. Watercolor. Illustration. Japanese artist. About the artist: Toshiyuki Fukuda is an illustrator based in Japan. Toshiyuki has designed CD jackets for Japanese band Spitz and book covers for renown authors like Kaori Ekuni and Kazuo Ishiguro. His work can be found in various genres, from picture books to general goods.He also designs for original textile brand “Tenp” (https://tenp10.com/) of Japan and for Frösö Handtryck of Sweden (https://frosohandtryck.se/en/info/our-designers/). Publications: “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI SAKUHIN SHU ” “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI TO IKU FINLAND ” (Genkosha)“ANO HITO GA UTAU NOWO KIITA KOTO GA NAI ” (co- written with Takaki Horigome / 888 books) “AKAI KINGYO TO AKAI TOUGARASHI ” (co-written with Kumiko Takahashi / mille books)“BOKU WA USAGI ” (co-written with Satoshi Yamashita / Akaane Shobo Publishing), “BABY BOOK” (co-written with Satoshi Fujimoto / Kokuyo S&T)
Educated in several different genres of Lacquer painting, traditional Japanese painting and western painting, Toshiyuki Enoki's works are an amalgamation of the new and aged, reality and myth. This artist strives to antiquate his works, not only in his thematic tribute to well known traditional artists such as Maruyama Oukyou also in his artist process.
Toshiyuki Enoki (1961-present, Japanese) love of cats is evident from his acrylic portraits and watercolors...he captures himself with a kitten in his arms.
Artist Toshiyuki Enoki Japan, 1961
Artist Toshiyuki Enoki Japan, 1961
Spring Festival by Toshiyuki Fukuda. Size: LARGE 16 x 16 inches (40,5 x 40,5 cm.).. Giclée print of an original drawing. Technique: after drawing a rough sketch with pencil on a paper, Toshiyuki pastes tissue paper over it with medium and waits for it to dry. He then proceeds to color it with acrylic gouache and adds collage. Lastly, instant coffee is sprinkled on top, which is spread with water-based varnish, and coated as a final touch. Each print in this series of 25, comes with a certificate of authenticity, numbered and signed by the artist with the date of printing. Printed on artist- quality pigment and acid free cotton paper. Unframed. While all prints come unframed, they all fit standard frame sizes and standard pre-cut mat sizes (read: you won’t ever need to pay for pricey custom framing). Category: Gouache. Watercolor. Illustration. Japanese artist. About the artist: Toshiyuki Fukuda is an illustrator based in Japan. Toshiyuki has designed CD jackets for Japanese band Spitz and book covers for renown authors like Kaori Ekuni and Kazuo Ishiguro. His work can be found in various genres, from picture books to general goods.He also designs for original textile brand “Tenp” (https://tenp10.com/) of Japan and for Frösö Handtryck of Sweden (https://frosohandtryck.se/en/info/our-designers/). Publications: “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI SAKUHIN SHU ” “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI TO IKU FINLAND ” (Genkosha)“ANO HITO GA UTAU NOWO KIITA KOTO GA NAI ” (co- written with Takaki Horigome / 888 books) “AKAI KINGYO TO AKAI TOUGARASHI ” (co-written with Kumiko Takahashi / mille books)“BOKU WA USAGI ” (co-written with Satoshi Yamashita / Akaane Shobo Publishing), “BABY BOOK” (co-written with Satoshi Fujimoto / Kokuyo S&T).
I was recently searching the internet for images on the theme of Mermaids, Nereids, and/or Sea Nymphs for some ideas relating to a painting I am currently plotting out. Unfortunately the vast majority of the images that I came upon were either of the sickly-sweet “Little Mermaid” variety… … or one of the equally kitsch adolescent sci-fi/fantasy portrayals of an overly sexualized mermaid or sea nymph (as in nympho) pin-up rendered in airbrush or CGI: What I was thinking was something a bit more more sophisticated… especially something along the lines of Gustav Klimt’s Water Serpents… Among the few paintings of any real merit, there was Herbert Draper’s Sea Nymphs… … and Icarus’ Lament: There was also Gennady Spirin’s Little Mermaid… … with the shimmering brushwork that reminds me of the paintings of the 19th century French Symbolist, Henri Fantin-Latour: Unfortunately, the face of the drowned sailor in Spirin’s painting lacks Fantin-Latour’s classicism. Instead it has something of the cheesy look of of Japanese anime. Another fascinating image was that of Mermaid by Adrian Borda: The idea of the mermaid hung upside down like the latest catch at the fish market is quite unique. The cross from which she is hung obviously suggests Christ… an allusion reinforced by the fish image, although one might also think of St. Peter, the “fisher of men” whose martyrdom involved being crucified upside-down. The arrow is at once phallic… but also suggests still another martyrdom: that of St. Sebastian. Unfortunately, much of the strength of these allusions and their potential as a work of visual art is wholly undermined by the juvenile obsession with perfect surgically enhanced boobs and the fashion model’s face. One of the most interesting images I happened upon was that of a painting of a Mermaid by the Indian artist, Ashok Bhowmick: Many of Bhowmick’s paintings are rooted in Middle-Eastern and Indian mythology, and looking at this painting in particular, I cannot help but think of the famous Babylonian sculpture of Ishtar, the Goddess of Fertility, Love, War and Sex: The most fortuitous discovery during this entire search, however, was that of this Mermaid by Enoki Toshiyuki: It isn’t that this particular painting of a mermaid is something truly outstanding (it isn’t)… nor even the fact that Toshiyuki painted more than a single image of the theme: No… rather it is that delving deeper into Toshiyuki’s work I discovered a truly marvelous painter and illustrator hitherto unknown to me. ***** Enoki Toshiyuki: Most of the information available on Toshiyuki on the internet is in Japanese. What I have been able to uncover concerning his biography is quite minimal. He was born in 1961 in Tokyo. He earned both a Bachelors and Masters of Arts degree from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and continued on with a post-graduate fellowship at the same institution. Since 2001 he has taught design at the school and worked as an artist and illustrator. His training… and subsequent work has involved employing both traditional Japanese and Western painting methods. He favors using old worn brushes and a palette of colors that suggest something at once weathered and antique… as well as new. His light, often transparent touch and his use of gold leaf dispersed throughout the paintings creates a magical atmospheric effect. Toshiyuki can be a marvelous portraitist: He has done a number of quite lovely self-portraits: His painting of a young girl in traditional Japanese folk garb is quite beautiful: However, it is his reveries… daydreams… nocturnes… fantasies that are the most intriguing among his figurative work: The ethereal and tenuous nature of these paintings owe much to the artist’s use of traditional Japanese methods of painting with dry pigment, while there are also elements suggestive more of the Momoyama period Japanese screen paintings with their bold, flat, graphic imagery and use of gold leaf. Toshiyuki also claims influences from Western artists such as Gustav Klimt and late 19th century illustrators such as Arthur Rackham. The artist spent a deal of time working at a zoo, and this experience helped to inspire a fascination with animals that has fueled many of his paintings: A great many of Toshiyuki’s paintings involve the exploration of mythological themes… Eastern and Western. His interest in animals carries over into this exploration of mythology with images of a variety of mythological beasts: Among the mythological beasts that Toshiyuki has repeatedly explored in his work we find the traditional Asian dragon… And the Peacock/Phoenix/Firebird: The decorative nature of these paintings… and the manner in which they are seen as part of an entire architectural space suggests the famous “Peacock Room” of James Whistler: This may be a case of the cyclical nature of cultural influence, as Whistler was profoundly inspired by Japanese art and design. Toshiyuki has also explored Western mythological themes… such as Eve and the garden of Eden: … or even the Western folk-tale of Little Red Riding Hood: In this marvelous painting, Toshiyuki employs a disjointed space that owes both to Asian concepts of a tilted point of view, and Western post-Cubist ideas. In the top right we see a delicious still-life/landscape detail: catfish swimming in a small pond… while directly to the left our view changes and we are looking up at birds in the spiraling sky. Below, Red Riding Hood seemingly lies on the grass… taking a break on her trek to grandma’s house… while almost hidden beneath the foliage at the bottom right the wolf peers out hungrily. Nature… and the landscape… common traditional obsessions of Japanese art are major themes for Toshiyuki. This is true whether he is exploring images of human beings confronted by the overwhelming nature of the cosmos… … or the deep, dark secrets of the forests at night: Then he can turn around and explore the beauty of a waterfall with a Zen-like simplicity… and near abstraction: Perhaps the most intriguing painting by Toshiyuki (of that which I’ve seen) is his triptych: Rainy Forest; Water’s Edge; Story Teller: This work combines several of Toshiyuki’s thematic obsessions: landscape, mythology, and animals. In the left panel, Rainy Forest, the title say it all… as we are presented with an image of a tropical rain forest… spider monkeys in the trees above… and a tarantula on the ground below: In the center panel, Water’s Edge (River’s Head) we are presented with another view of nature… this one being more suggestive of traditional Japanese and Chinese landscape painting with the image stacked up vertically, a view of a waterfall, and a vines twisting and turning in an almost calligraphic manner. In the final painting, Story Teller, two figures (are they human or ape?) sit on a mountain top looking up at the stars which are seen as a shimmer of scattered gold dust. The title suggests that the elder figure is telling stories of the nature of the stars… creation… the gods… and the cosmos. As a result, the stars begin to take form… in the manner of the Western astrological symbols: Toshiyuki is certainly an artist I will be keeping my eye upon. It seems that I am not alone in this as this last triptych was recently sold for more than a decent sum of money at a Christie’s auction of Modern and Contemporary Asian Art.
Artist Toshiyuki Enoki Japan, 1961
Black Cat White Cat by Toshiyuki Fukuda. Size: MEDIUM 12 x 12 inches (30,5 x 30,5 cm.) and LARGE 16 x 16 (40,5 cm x 40,5 cm)in size. Giclée print of an original drawing created for Tenp. Technique: after drawing a rough sketch with pencil on a paper, Toshiyuki pastes tissue paper over it with medium and waits for it to dry. He then proceeds to color it with acrylic gouache and adds collage. Lastly, instant coffee is sprinkled on top, which is spread with water-based varnish, and coated as a final touch. Each print in this series of 25, comes with a certificate of authenticity, numbered and signed with the date of printing. Printed on artist- quality pigment and acid free cotton paper. Unframed. While all prints come unframed, they all fit standard frame sizes and standard pre-cut mat sizes (read: you won’t ever need to pay for pricey custom framing). Category: Gouache. Collage. Illustration. Japanese artist. About the artist: Toshiyuki Fukuda is an illustrator based in Japan. Toshiyuki has designed CD jackets for Japanese band Spitz and book covers for renown authors like Kaori Ekuni and Kazuo Ishiguro. His work can be found in various genres, from picture books to general goods.He also designs for original textile brand “Tenp” (https://tenp10.com/) of Japan and for Frösö Handtryck of Sweden (https://frosohandtryck.se/en/info/our-designers/). Publications: “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI SAKUHIN SHU ” “FUKUDA TOSHIYUKI TO IKU FINLAND ” (Genkosha)“ANO HITO GA UTAU NOWO KIITA KOTO GA NAI ” (co- written with Takaki Horigome / 888 books) “AKAI KINGYO TO AKAI TOUGARASHI ” (co-written with Kumiko Takahashi / mille books)“BOKU WA USAGI ” (co-written with Satoshi Yamashita / Akaane Shobo Publishing), “BABY BOOK” (co-written with Satoshi Fujimoto / Kokuyo S&T)
Educated in several different genres of Lacquer painting, traditional Japanese painting and western painting, Toshiyuki Enoki's works are an amalgamation of the new and aged, reality and myth. This artist strives to antiquate his works, not only in his thematic tribute to well known traditional artists such as Maruyama Oukyou also in his artist process.
Toshiyuki Enoki creates subtle work with elements of traditional Japanese painting and contemporary illustration. Opting for a soft color palette, Enoki paints lush flora or cozy fabrics using sepia-toned hues that evoke the way the world looks as one's eyelids get heavy before drifting off to sleep. Despite its placid appearance, some of Enoki's work contains darker elements. In one piece, a character lies supine, her limbs bound tightly with rope, and in another, sharp thorns encircle a couple locked in a protective embrace. Take a look at some of Toshiyuki Enoki's work after the jump.
Artist Toshiyuki Enoki Japan, 1961
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Oscar-winner focuses on scientist behind nuclear weapons
Artist Toshiyuki Enoki Japan, 1961
Toshiyuki Enoki (1961-present, Japanese) love of cats is evident from his acrylic portraits and watercolors...he captures himself with a kitten in his arms.
