Calendar 1971

Tokyo: Takum Craft Shop, 1972. First edition. Stiff Wraps. Orig. illustrated stiff wrappers. Fine. Serizawa, Keisuke. Folio, 37.2 x 28.6 cm. 12 single sheets, one for each month, these calendar sets are stenciled individually by hand on handmade untrimmed Japanese mulberry paper. They are usually contained in a thick cardboard (also mulberry paper) folding case as is our copy, and in addition, on the front cover of the folding case is pasted an illustrated stenciled label with the word "Calendar." All Serizawa calendars are unique. As a highly respected Japanese textile designer, inspired by the bingata (multicolored, stencil dyed) textiles of Okinawa, (truncated) he began to research the latter and traditional textile designs of other Japanese regions. He contributed works to the mingei (folk art) movement, his katazome calendar folios were initiated in 1946. Serizawa was designated a "Living National Treasure" by the Emperor of Japan in 1956, and after his death, the Tohoku Fukushi University of Sendai, constructed and dedicated a museum comprised solely of Serizawa's art work. (Inventory #: 20681)