Showa Period
National Living Treasure
Frame：37cm×30.5cm
This is a rare hand-painted ita-e (board painting) by Keisuke Serizawa, a Living National Treasure renowned for his katazome stencil dyeing. Titled "Say Not, Tomorrow", the work draws inspiration from Kokorouta (Heart Verses), a collection of writings by Soetsu Yanagi. It is a piece in which profound spirituality and refined aesthetics are brought together in perfect harmony.
Unlike Serizawa’s stencil-dyed works, this ita-e is painted directly with a brush onto wood, allowing the viewer to feel the artist’s breath and emotions in a more intimate and immediate way.
The inscription, "Say Not, Tomorrow", conveys the meaning: “There is no existence apart from now—say not, ‘tomorrow.’”
This verse, taken from Yanagi's text, reflects the core of the philosophy that he and Serizawa shared through their involvement in the Mingei (folk craft) movement. The work gently reminds us of the importance of living fully in the present moment.
Timeless words, paired with beautiful calligraphy and painting—this is a precious piece that encapsulates the very essence of Serizawa’s artistry.
Keisuke SERIZAWA
1895 – 1984
He was a Japanese textile designer. In 1956, he was designated as a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government for his katazome stencil dyeing technique. A leading member of the mingei movement founded by Yanagi Sōetsu, Serizawa visited Okinawa several times and learned the Ryūkyū bingata techniques of dyeing. His folk-art productions included kimono, paper prints, wall scrolls, folding screens, curtains, fans, and calendars. In 1981, the Municipal Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum was opened in the city of Shizuoka. Other museums that hold his work include the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Harvard Art Museums, the Seattle Art Museum, the British Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Art, and the Museum of New Zealand.
Contact about the Item