artist
James Hiroshi Suzuki first studied in Japan with Yoshio Markino and, after arriving in the United States in the 1950s, studied at the Portland School of Fine Arts in Maine and the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC. He taught at University of California, Berkeley in 1962, California College of Arts and Crafts from 1964-1965, and at California State University in Sacramento since 1999.
Description
Rich in textural and tonal variation, James Suzuki skillfully channels the style of impressionist painter Claude Monet, while staying true to his own style, resulting in a captivating composition. Monet Composition, 1957 suggests lush shrubbery, a pond, and possibly water lilies—an additional nod to Monet. The painting's composition, progressing from the outer edges to the center, features smoother brushstrokes and lighter green hues initially, transitioning into pronounced texture and the use of a vibrant emerald color at the focal point. The deliberate absence of paint in the lower left corner provides a resting space for the eye, while touches of violet and white act as counterweights to the prominent emerald region at the top center, masterfully achieving compositional balance and moving the viewers eye around the image. Delicate brown lines break apart the otherwise green marks on the left, alluding to natural elements such as stems and twigs, anther nod to Monets landscape and paintings of nature.
provenance
Private collection, Feneu, France, until 2021
