Description: Japanese Matchbox Art Postcard from Masao Shimojima Collection, 4"x6" - "Promotion for hotel appointed by the Ministry of Railways" Ships same or next business day (M-F). ABOUTMasao Shimojima's, on his book "The Art of Japanese Matcbox Labels" describes the rise of cafes, bars, coffee shops and restaurants in the post-World War I period as war weary people sought to escape the pressures of life. They were "enthusiastic about visiting cafes or beer halls for an easy pastime and to seek temporary peace". This became even more pronounced after the Great Earthquake of 1923 when nudes and other risque artwork became popular on matchbox labels. Young designers trained in Germany and Europe returned to Japan and produced elegant advertising for large companies such as Shiseido. Local artists and painters were both influenced by these national brands and spurred to produce more original designs. Many of these designs still showed the asymmetry and stylized flat shapes typical of Japanese woodblock prints. Some had amazingly clever use of only red and black ink colors while others used gold and silver metallic inks to add to their palette. The Japanese matchbox labels are breathtaking in their stark beauty and simplicity: just a hand holding a glass or a dancing figure frozen in time. They were only low end ephemera but their reflection on the culture that produced them speaks of a world long gone.
Price: 4.5 USD
Location: Cupertino, California
End Time: 2024-12-09T00:34:04.000Z
Shipping Cost: 1.5 USD
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Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Theme: Japan
Postage Condition: Unposted
Subject: Art
