Oil on canvas

33.4×24.3 cm. 13 1/8×9 5/8 in.

Signed in English on bottom left; titled and signed in Kanji on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued and signed by the artist's family

An Ode to Eternal Life
Zenzaburō Kojima's Natural Landscapes

Zenzaburō Kojima, born in Fukuoka, Kyushu in 1893, was a self-taught pioneer of modern Japanese art. He showed passion for painting from a young age, founding an art club in middle school where he studied techniques from artists like Paul Cézanne, focusing on perspective and bold colour use. In 1914, he abandoned his medical studies to pursue Western oil painting in Tokyo. By 1922, he won the top prize at Japan's prestigious Nika Exhibition. In 1925, he travelled to France to study traditional oil painting and established a studio in Cannes two years later. After deeply exploring Western art, Kojima aimed to create a Japanese oil painting style that blended Japanese cultural aesthetics with universal appeal.

After returning to Japan in 1928, Zenzaburō Kojima focused on capturing the landscapes around him, creating a series of paintings that blended Western modern art with the Edo-period Rinpa school and Nanga (Southern School) art. He used simple geometric shapes like circles and triangles to represent nature, developing a unique artistic style. In 1935, drawn to rural landscapes, Kojima moved his studio from Tokyo to Kokubunji, where he immersed himself in nature and entered a golden period of creativity, as noted by art critics. In 1951, he relocated to Ogikubo on the outskirts of Tokyo, where he spent the rest of his life. Kojima's work is deeply influential and is a key part of Japan's modern art history. His paintings are housed in major institutions such as the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, the Hiroshima Museum of Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the Busan Museum of Art. The three representative works presented here span Kojima's career from the 1930s to the 1960s, providing a comprehensive view of his artistic achievements.

Summer Recollections
A Dream of Nagasaki

Nagasaki (Lot 3) was created four years after Kojima returned from Europe. That year, he fully embraced landscape painting, transforming his studio into a Japanese-style garden as he reconnected with traditional aesthetics. This painting revisits the scenes of Nagasaki, where he once studied medicine. Kojima merged the vibrant colours of Western art with the symbolic approach of Nanga, infusing the work with his own creativity. The middle section of the painting features geometric shapes including squares, triangles, and bold colours of red, white, and blue to represent churches and red-brick buildings. The cityscape spreads outward, with trees, lawns, and wheat fields painted in his signature green hues, capturing the essence of summer. Large colour blocks depict distant mountains, the blue sky, and trees and paths in the foreground, blending realism and abstraction to convey the serene, green landscape of Nagasaki before World War II. The two tall trees in the foreground stand out: one is painted realistically with a solid presence, while the other, depicted with slanted, layered strokes, gives the impression of movement or growth, adding depth to the scene. The towering church and the vast fields give balance to the composition, and the winding path in the foreground adds depth and invites the viewer to step into this harmonious world where nature and humanity coexist.

Poppies: Graceful Beauty, Strong Resilience

Field Poppies (Lot 2) was created during Kojima's later years in Kokubunji, where he found solace from the chaos of World War II by focusing on nature. He cultivated various flowers in his garden, using them as subjects for his paintings, and aimed to blend the expressive style of Eastern ink painting with the realism of Western oil painting. Poppies, known for their vibrant beauty, are less harmful than their opium-producing relatives, and are capable of surviving in the cold, noting their resilience. Kojima captures the delicate textures of the poppy petals, depicting four blooming flowers in this small yet detailed composition. The soft purples and bright oranges contrast beautifully against a blue-green background, creating a dreamy scene. Kojima deliberately reduces the emphasis on leaves, seamlessly combining the precise brushwork of the Rinpa school with the soft colours typical of Impressionism. He captures the swaying, butterfly-like movement of the flowers—passionate yet tender, delicate yet strong. The small pink flower in the corner symbolises life and beauty continuing beyond the viewer's gaze. Kojima's ambition to develop a distinctly "Japanese style" of oil painting is evident in this work.

The Final Chapter: Radiant Roses

"What I have sought so far is the beauty of balance, but now I begin to pursue the beauty of unbalanced, trying to capture the subtle beauty that lies between the two."
— Zenzaburō Kojima

Roses (Lot 1) was completed a year before Kojima's death, during his final decade in Ogikubo. Despite his struggle with lung disease, his works from this period are full of vitality. In this painting, a vase of roses sits at the centre, with the bright orange tabletop stretching horizontally, creating a lively scene. Kojima uses bold black lines and rich reds and pinks to emphasise the round, full shapes of the roses. His signature use of circles, triangles, and geometric elements brings out the lushness of the flowers, with subtle colour transitions adding depth. The traditional Japanese vase, decorated with intricate patterns, adds a touch of elegance. Kojima's use of vibrant colours is as bold as the Fauves and reminiscent of the bright hues of Ukiyo-e, conveying passion and energy. His precise brushwork and attention to detail reflect his deep national pride, showcasing his remarkable ability to balance movement and stillness in the composition.

Price estimate:
HKD 50,000 – 80,000
USD 6,400 – 10,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 312,000