Hiroyuki Tajima

Typical signature of Hiroyuki Tajima

Two Exhiles, woodblock print by Hiroyuki Tajima, 1972, private collection

Hiroyuki Tajima (田嶋 宏行, Tajima Hiroyuki, 1911 - 1984) was a Japanese printmaker of the sosaku hanga school. He was born in Tokyo and graduated from Nihon University in 1932. In 1943, he graduated from the Western-style painting division of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. He created his first print in 1946, and joined the Bijutsu Bunka Kyokai (a group of abstract and surrealist artists) the same year. He also studied Nagase Yoshi (1891-1978), an artist of the sosaku hanga school. In 1963, he became a member of the Nihon Hanga Kyokai (Japanese Print Association).

He is best known for his totally abstract prints with broad areas of rich dense color.

References

• Blakemore, Frances, Who's Who in Modern Japanese Prints, New York, John Weatherhill, 1976, 192.
• Merritt, Helen and Nanako Yamada. (1995). Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints, 1900-1975. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 10-ISBN 082481732X/13-ISBN 9780824817329; 10-ISBN 0824812867/13-ISBN 9780824812867; OCLC 247995392.
• Smith, Lawrence, Modern Japanese Prints 1912-1989, London, British Museum, 1994.
• Robertson, Ronald G., Contemporary Printmaking in Japan, Tokyo, Zokeisha, and New York, Crown, 1965.