Paul Binnie, Beauty Portrait, A Thousand Stitch Belt of 1940, Contemporary Art
Artist: Paul Binnie (1967 – )
Title: A Thousand Stitch Belt of 1940
Edition: 36/100
Series: Flowers of a Hundred Years (Hyakunen no hana)
Date: 2014
Size: 47.5 cm x 33.5 cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
The design for the year 1940 is called Senninbari (A Thousand Stitch Belt). These belts, which may date back to the 17th Century, are sewn by a thousand passers-by, one stitch each, as a lucky charm given by a woman to a warrior. By the period of the Asian War of the late 1930s, and the Pacific War of the early 1940s, prepared strips of fabric were sold, printed with a thousand crimson circles, each of which would then be stitched and the gift wrapped around the stomach of the soldier, sailor or airman going to fight.
The print employs gold leaf, silver and bronze metallic pigments, mica on the collars and embossing, as well as around 30 printed colours. Tiny embossed and sliver-printed aeroplanes on her two kimono suggest that her husband is a pilot.
Series and print title embossed on the top left-hand side. Edition number and artist signature in original pencil. ‘Binnie’ embossed on the bottom margin.
Paul Binnie
Blending traditional methods with a modern style, Paul Binnie’s work is heavily influenced by the Shin-hanga movement, founded by the publisher Shozaburo Watanabe (1885-1962). Shozaburo aimed to renew declining Ukiyo-e tradition and break into foreign markets by commissioning new, young artists who would work within the old co-operated system, composed of the publisher, artist, engraver and printers. However, Binnie works independently, making prints from beginning to the end, as was done by artists of the post-war Sosaku hanga movement. He works across several different subjects including kabuki, tattoo, landscape and beauty prints. Binnie’s original plan of a short stay in Japan changed once he started to sell his kabuki prints. He decided to expand his technique and remained in Japan creating works of this subject until 1998. His interest in Japanese tattoo was born when he saw Yakuza, members of the Japanese mafia who traditionally have body tattoos, bathing for the first time in a sento (Japanese-style public bath). Near the end of 1997, he began to expand into Japanese landscape prints, which became a huge success.
| Print Format | Dai-Oban |
|---|---|
| Artist | Paul Binnie |
| Subject | Beauty & Female, Contemporary |
| Dimensions | 47.5 x 33.5 cm |
| Condition Report | Excellent. |
| Series | Flowers of a Hundred Years |
| Folders | In Store, HA |
