Edutainment > Shungo Sekiguchi - 1911-2002

Pont Mari in Paris
copyright Shungo Sekiguchi

In 2002 we received a consignment from Japan of a Japanese woodblock print of a lovely scene from Paris by Shungo Sekiguchi. We had never before heard about this artist, but he was mentioned with two scarce lines in Helen Merritt/Nanako Yamada's classical book "Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975". We were astonished and we liked the design. After some search we found a member list of the famous "Salon d'Automne" on the internet with the name of Shungo Sekiguchi. But that was it.

A Forgotten Artist?

When we received another consignment of the same print design in 2004, the consignor in Japan gave us a few more Internet links. And finally some more pieces of information came together. Could it be that a forgotten artist is coming back into the awareness of collectors of Japanese prints outside Japan thanks to the internet?

Until now, we have only seen the print design that we display here on this page. But this artist began to stir our interest. We therefore decided to publish the information we have. And maybe more is coming up. If you can make any more contributions, please let us know.

Information by Helen Merrit and Nanako Yamada

"Contributed in 1932 to One Hundred Views of Great Tokyo (Dai Tokyo hyakkei). Prints from watercolors published by Kaneda Shoten (Nihon Hanga Ken-kyusho)."

Information by Mr. Edward Kawanabe, Sanai - Fine Art

The following link on Trocadero has the most substantial information. It comes from Mr. Edward Kawanabe, owner of Sanai - Fine Art & Japanese Antiques. Due to the possbly short life of this link on Trocadero (an online sales platform with changing contents), we want to publish the information as given by Mr. Edward Kawanabe, in the original text:

Shungo Sekiguchi, (1911-2002)

"He was born 1911 in Japan. In 1935, Sekiguchi moved to France and entered Ecole des Beaux Art France by the scholarship of France Government, as among three famous Japanese Artists at that time, Takanori Ogisu, Tsuguji Foujita, and him. Shungo Sekiguchi is mentioned in Helen Merritt's "Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints" as having contributed to the series "One Hundred Views of Great Tokyo" in 1932.

The artist's name can also be found in the member list of the famous "Salon d'Automne" of Paris. In 1940, during the turmoil of World Ware II, Sekiguchi returned to Japan and after the war, he had many exhibition in Japan, then later he returned to Paris, France. In 1952, he received the award in "Salon d'Automne". In 1959, he received the award at Vicci International Art Contest. In 1964, he received honorable Diplome d'Honneur des at Jobiji International Art Show. In April 2002, he passed away. His restropective exhibition has been held in many places in Japan."

Works in the Collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art

We furthermore found a link to a page of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art. The page is in Japanese. It lists a woodblock of a Paris street scene by the artist. The print is in the posession of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art.

• Shungo Sekiguchi - Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art.

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