{"product_id":"kiyoshi-awazu-女たち-九女八一座の人々-shibuya-toyoko-theatre-bungakuza-japanese-theatre-poster-original-offset-1977-rare-b2-size-c-51-5-72-8-cm-q20-copy","title":"“KIYOSHI AWAZU – 天守物語・十三夜 \/ SHIBUYA TŌYOKO THEATRE \/ BUNGAKUZA,” Japanese Theatre Poster, Original Offset 1974, Rare, B2 Size (c. 51.5 × 72.8 cm) S216","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal 1974 theatre poster by Kiyoshi Awazu (1929–2009)\u003c\/strong\u003e for \u003cstrong\u003eBungakuza’s\u003c\/strong\u003e double-bill production of \u003cstrong\u003eIzumi Kyoka’s \u003cem\u003eTenshu Monogatari\u003c\/em\u003e (天守物語)\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eHiguchi Ichiyo’s \u003cem\u003eJusan’ya\u003c\/em\u003e (十三夜)\u003c\/strong\u003e. The \u003cstrong\u003e21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa\u003c\/strong\u003e catalogues the work as \u003cstrong\u003e「天守物語・十三夜／文学座」\u003c\/strong\u003e, dated \u003cstrong\u003e1974\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eoffset printing on paper\u003c\/strong\u003e, B2 format, and records it within the Kiyoshi Awazu Archive as \u003cstrong\u003ePo-158\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eKariya City Art Museum\u003c\/strong\u003e likewise records the poster as \u003cstrong\u003eoffset on paper\u003c\/strong\u003e, measuring \u003cstrong\u003e72.4 × 51.2 cm\u003c\/strong\u003e, confirming this as an original B2-format Awazu theatre poster from 1974. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design advertises the \u003cstrong\u003e7–22 December 1974\u003c\/strong\u003e run at the \u003cstrong\u003eTōyoko Theatre\u003c\/strong\u003e. Bungakuza’s own historical performance archive confirms the pairing: \u003cem\u003eJusan’ya\u003c\/em\u003e, adapted by \u003cstrong\u003eMantaro Kubota\u003c\/strong\u003e from Higuchi Ichiyo and directed by \u003cstrong\u003eShin Tatsuoka\u003c\/strong\u003e, together with \u003cem\u003eTenshu Monogatari\u003c\/em\u003e by \u003cstrong\u003eIzumi Kyoka\u003c\/strong\u003e, directed by \u003cstrong\u003eIchiro Inui\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwazu was \u003cstrong\u003eself-taught\u003c\/strong\u003e and is described by the Kanazawa museum as one of the figures who \u003cstrong\u003eled post-war Japanese graphic design\u003c\/strong\u003e. His practice moved freely across posters, theatre, architecture, print, photography and other visual media, repeatedly drawing on traditional Japanese imagery while pushing it into an unmistakably modern graphic language. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example is especially striking for its \u003cstrong\u003eenormous diving bird of prey\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eblood-orange sky\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003edeep indigo plumage\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eperfect yellow moon\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the monumental \u003cstrong\u003epink peony\u003c\/strong\u003e that dominates the lower half of the sheet. Awazu combines imagery suggestive of \u003cstrong\u003eEdo-period woodblock prints\u003c\/strong\u003e with an almost psychedelic 1970s palette, while the yellow and green vertical title blocks are integrated into the illustration like traditional Japanese slips or cartouches. The right-side inscription referencing \u003cstrong\u003eHokusai and Hiroshige\u003c\/strong\u003e further reinforces the dialogue between historic Japanese print culture and Awazu’s radically modern theatre graphics. The poster reads equally convincingly as a piece of theatrical advertising and as a stand-alone work of \u003cstrong\u003e1970s Japanese graphic design\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eExcellent original condition overall\u003c\/strong\u003e, with \u003cstrong\u003eexceptionally strong, saturated colour\u003c\/strong\u003e, and only \u003cstrong\u003every light age \/ handling wear\u003c\/strong\u003e consistent with a genuine 1974 theatre poster. The reds, blues, yellows and greens remain remarkably vivid, and the sheet presents beautifully without significant distracting damage. Please review the imagery provided as this is the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57250876424570,"sku":null,"price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/wall-shelf-with-ornaments-2026-09-10T065410.435.jpg?v=1788991803","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/kiyoshi-awazu-%e5%a5%b3%e3%81%9f%e3%81%a1-%e4%b9%9d%e5%a5%b3%e5%85%ab%e4%b8%80%e5%ba%a7%e3%81%ae%e4%ba%ba%e3%80%85-shibuya-toyoko-theatre-bungakuza-japanese-theatre-poster-original-offset-1977-rare-b2-size-c-51-5-72-8-cm-q20-copy","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}