Bell Hill

A cathedral on a wooded hill seems to dematerialize into a flaming sky. Treating the wood as his canvas and the chisel as his brush, Fujimori Shizuo carved the blocks roughly, leaving prominent marks that give the work an energetic, painterly quality and emphasize the physical character of his materials. He then printed the image himself, layering tones of dark pink. The dramatic composition, vigorous chisel marks, and unusual color scheme make this a particularly striking work. Fujimori co-founded the print and poetry journal, Tsukuhae, while still a student in 1913. After graduating, he became a central artist of the creative print world. He was a founding member of Nihon hanga kyōkai (Japan Print Society), and his prints were regularly published in magazines like Shi to Hanga (Poetry and Prints).