Yuki Katsura “A fox that borrows the power of a tiger”
Author birth and death: 1913 Tokyo – 1991 Tokyo
Year of production: 1956
Technique Material: Lithograph
Dimensions: 38.8×55.8cm
Edition: 16/100
Signed: Edition number “16/100” on the bottom left; Signed “Y.Katsura” on the bottom right
Exhibition history: “Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of Modern Art Collection Exhibition + University of Tsukuba Collection Ishii Collection” Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of Art October 2007-10, 5 cat. 28; Exhibition history: “Techniques on Paper: University of Tsukuba Collection Ishii Collection” ” January 14-February 2012, 1 Musashino City Kichijoji Museum of Art cat. 7.
References: Rintaro Terakado (ed.), "The Ishii Collection at the University of Tsukuba, I. Paintings," Faculty of Arts, University of Tsukuba, 2011, cat. 49; Toshiharu Igarashi and Minami Eguchi (eds.), "Studies on the Ishii Collection 5: Yuki Katsura and Hideko Fukushima," Faculty of Arts, University of Tsukuba, 2017, col. pl. p. 9; Naoko Seki, "On Yuki Katsura's Tigers and Foxes," "Studies on the Ishii Collection 5: Yuki Katsura and Hideko Fukushima," 2017, pp. 11-29; Toshiharu Igarashi (supervisor), Rintaro Terakado (ed.), "The University of Tsukuba Art Collection: The Ishii Collection - A Feast of Beauty," University of Tsukuba Press, 2021, frontispiece 8; Naoko Seki, "On Yuki Katsura's Tigers and Foxes," "A Feast of Beauty," 2021, pp. 299-320.
Collection number: 2005-JP-IS006
Work description:
As the title suggests, this work depicts the comical appearance of an arrogant fox (Japan) who uses the power of the tiger (United States) as a shield in the post-World War II world situation. It is painted with a strong yellow color contrast.The grotesque, gigantic face of the tiger and the hateful fox sitting on its back make a nice contrast.Prior to this, Katsura had created her own oil painting ``A Fox Borrowing the Power of a Tiger'' (1955, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art), and this work is a series of her own lithographs based on her oil paintings. This is the first one.This lithograph, which cynically depicts the Japanese government embracing the power of the occupation forces and its people complacent with the status quo, is said to have failed to find buyers for a long time due to its offensive subject matter.
