Shuzo TAKIGUCHI Exhibition - IV
October 17 Sat. - October 31 Sat. 2015, 12:00-19:00 |
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Toki-no-Wasuremono presents an exhibition centered on Shuzo Takiguchi’s “To and From Rrose Sélavy: Selected Words of Marcel Duchamp” and so far unpublished decalcomanies, complemented with works from artists who had a role in creating “Selected Words” such as Marcel Duchamp*, Jasper Johns*, Jean Tinguely*, and Shusaku Arakawa. (*: These links are Japanese only)
The current exhibition is the fourth in a series of exhibitions on Shuzo Takiguchi at Gallery Toki-no-Wasuremono since January 2014, and, in some sense, can be considered the second part of "Shuzo Takiguchi III: Shuzo Takiguchi and Marcel Duchamp."
Takiguchi since the 1930s expressed a particular interest for the groundbreaking modern artist Duchamp, and had repeatedly published articles on him. In 1958 finally, during a stay at Salvador Dali’s house while on a trip in Europe, Takiguchi was introduced to Duchamp in person. This marked the beginning of a friendly relationship that occasionally included both of them dedicating each other their respective writings. This exchange continued even after Takiguchi returned to Japan in 1960, for instance provided Duchamp Takiguchi with the name of “Rrose Sélavy” for a fictional “shop of objects.” Takiguchi in return responded with compiling "To and from Rrose Sélavy" in 1968. This work contains short memos, notes, or word plays by Duchamp, but also multiples and reproductions by Jasper Johns, Jean Tinguely, and Shusaku Arakawa. Takiguchi’s infatuation with Duchamp continued with the handmade book “In the door, the Shadow of a Bird” (1973), and the multiple “Eye Examination Map” (1977) for which he collaborated with Kazuo Okazaki. Takiguchi’s work “Cigar Box” furthermore was a collection of Duchamp’s memos. Takiguchi’s reflections on Duchamp thus became a major focus of interest of his later life.
The present exhibition features the Edition A (Special Edition) of “To and From Rrose Sélavy: Selected Words of Marcel Duchamp,” and corresponding art works in an attempt to retrace the creative resonance between Takiguchi and Duchamp. We hope that by including decalcomanies by Takiguchi from the late 1960s to early 1970s the exhibition will shed further light on Takiguchi’s artistic practice during the latter years of his life.
■ Shuzo TAKIGUCHI (1903.12.7 - 1979.7.1)
Known as a poet and an art critic. Embodied the principle of surrealism and supported activities of numerous artists as a logic and a moral support of an avant-garde movement during pre and post war era of Japan. He collaborated with artists in and out of Japan to create illustrated collection of poems, and also created various artworks himself.
Born 1903 in Toyama prefecture. He was intimate with literatures and arts from young age, and was especially fond of William Blake. While at Keio University Faculty of Letters Department of English Literature, he was deeply influenced by the surrealism, introduced by his teacher Junzaburo Nishiwaki, and through books such as "The Surrealist Manifesto" and "The Magnetic Fields". He published series of experimental poetic texts while at the university, and also fully translated Andre Breton's "Surrealism and Painting". Graduated in 1931, Takiguchi was employed as a scriptor at PCL (Photo Chemical Laboratory, predecessor of Toho Company, Ltd.) and started his activity as an art critic. He continued correspondenses between overseas surrealist, translated and introduced Breton's "The Communicating Vessels", "Mad Love", his lecture in the International Cultural Defence Convention of Artists against Nazi, along with works of artists such as Ernst and Dali. In 1937, Takiguchi organised "the Overseas Surrealism Exhibition" with Sansei Yamanaka (also edited the memorial publication "Album Surrealist"). Along with art criticisms such as "Surrealism sculpting theory" and "Problems on Avant-garde Art", he has also released photo criticisms such as "Photography and Surrealism" and "Materials and Photographs", guiding researching avant-garde artists and photographers who were not members of art circles. Unfortunately, this was regarded as an international communist activity, and he was captured by a special police for seven months from the spring of 1941.
After the war, he has presented many art criticisms, becoming a representative critic of the era. While providing chances for young artists by planning over 200 exhibitions at Takemiya Gallery, he also took part in the activity of "Jikken Kobou (Experiment studio)" founded in 1951 as an advisor. With his honest character, his influence was very significant.
In 1958, he traveled to Europe to take part in the Venice Biennale as a commissioner. There he rated Italian architecture representative Fonatana very highly, and voted him for the painting section. After the Biennale, he traveled across Europe to meet people such as Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali and Henri Michaux (He recalled meeting with Breton was "the harvest of life").
After returning to Japan, his writings on art criticism were reduced, and more private writings, like an introductory note of an exhibition has increased. Contrary to retiring from public positions, he was very enthusiastic to become a special counsel for Genpei Akasegawa's "1,000 yen note incident" which was on court between 1965 to 1970. Collaborating with many artists such as Joan Miro and Sam Francis to create illustrated collection of poems, he also created many works using unique techniques such as drawing, a water color, a burnt drawing, a roto-dessin and a decalcomanie and held several solo-exhibitions with his own works. In 1967 he published "Shuzo Takiguchi's poetic Experiments 1927-1937" in which he recollected poetic texts he wrote during the war. He has also left a prose text in a form of a dream record and other proverb like short phrase works. He was offerred the name "Rrose Selavy" for his conceptual "objet shop" from Marcel Duchamp, who he kept in touch since his travel to Europe mentioned above. In return, he published "Selected words of Marcel Duchamp" in 1968. He continued his research on Duchamp, later producing multiple sculptures which multi-layerizated part of Duchamp's "Large Glass"(Rrose Selavy, Tokyo 1977. Collaborated with sculptor Kazuo Okazaki). Passed away in 1979 due to an heart attack.
Shuzo TAKIGUCHI Exhibition - IV:
List of works / October 17 (Sat) - October 31 (Sat)
No. |
Image |
Artist |
Title | Date |
Medium | Measurement |
Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "To and from Rrose Sélavy" | 1968 |
Book, prints, and multiples | 35.0x27.5x4.0cm |
Signed |
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Marcel Duchamp | "Self-portrait in Profile" | Print (included in Edition A, 1968) | 29.4x23.0cm |
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Shuzo Takiguchi, Marcel Duchamp | "Rose Sélavy through a Wilson-Lincoln-System" | 1968 |
Signed |
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Jasper Johns | "Summer Critic (from "Selected Words of Marcel Duchamp")" | 1968 |
Relief print | Signed |
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Jean Tinguely | "Collage Dessin" | c. 1967 |
Silkscreen | Signed |
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Shusaku Arakawa | "Still Life" | 1967 |
Signed |
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2 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "For Rrose Sélavy" | 1968 |
Ink, watercolors, and crayon on paper | 33.3x25.5cm |
Signed |
3 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "For Rrose Sélavy (different version)" | 1968 |
Ink and watercolors on paper | 49.5x23.4cm |
Signed |
4 |
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Jasper Johns | "Summer Critic" | 1966 |
Cement, glass, and others | 9.2x18.0x6.0cm |
Signed |
5 |
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Jasper Johns | "Smiling at the Critic" | unknown |
Ink on paper | 28.0ｘ21.5cm |
Signed |
6 |
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Jasper Johns | "Target 1970" | 1970 |
Mixed media | 34.0x28.2cm |
Signed |
7 |
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Shusaku Arakawa | "From the series "Casket"" | 1968 |
Mixed media | 43.0×32.8×11.4cm |
Signed |
8 |
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Jean Tinguely | "Hommage to the Eiffel Tower" | 1989 |
Lithograph | 56.0×76.0cm |
Signed |
9 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-05" | Ink on paper | Image size: 26.0x19.6cm Sheet size: 35.5x25.2cm |
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10 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-06" | Pen on paper | Image size: 29.0x20.5cm Sheet size: 35.6x25.0cm |
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11 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-26" | Ink and watercolors on paper | Image size: 31.5x22.8cm Sheet size: 40.7x32.0cm |
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12 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-34" | Ink and watercolors on paper | Image size: 34.2x23.6cm Sheet size: 35.7x25.1cm |
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13 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "Work" | Decalcomanie | 36.4×70.2cm |
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14 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-02" | Decalcomanie, watercolors on paper | Image size: 13.6x9.9cm Sheet size: 13.6x9.9cm |
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15 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-08" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 07) | Image size: 11.0x8.5cm Sheet size: 13.7x9.8cm |
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16 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-15" | Decalcomanie on paper (postcard) | Image size: 14.1x9.0cm Sheet size: 14.1x9.0cm |
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17 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-04" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 13.8x9.4cm Sheet size: 13.8x9.4cm |
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18 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-09" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 5.4x9.0cm Sheet size: 5.4x9.0cm |
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19 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-10" | Decalcomanie on paper (postcard) | Image size: 14.1x9.0cm Sheet size: 14.1x9.0cm |
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20 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-12" | Decalcomanie on paper (postcard) | Image size: 14.2×9.1cm Sheet size: 14.2×9.1cm |
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21 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-19" | Decalcomanie (set with no. 205 from "Shuzo Takiguchi's Creative Experiments") | Image size: 14.0x10.5cm Sheet size: 25.1x17.5cm |
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22 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-25" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 13.0x11.8cm Sheet size: 13.0x11.8cm |
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23 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-26" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅲ- 27) | Image size: 12.7x9.3cm Sheet size: 19.4x13.1cm |
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24 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-27" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅲ- 26) | Image size: 12.3x9.0cm Sheet size: 19.2x13.1cm |
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25 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-30" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 17.0x13.0cm Sheet size: 26.0x19.3cm |
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26 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-40" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 13.0x11.5cm Sheet size: 13.0x11.5cm |
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27 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "IV-1" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 12.5x8.5cm Sheet size: 13.5x9.0cm |
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28 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-11" | Ink on paper | Image size: 30.5x22.0cm Sheet size: 35.4x27.0cm |
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29 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "I-12" | Ink on paper | Image size: 31.3x25.5cm Sheet size: 35.4x27.1cm |
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30 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-18" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 15.7x9.0cm Sheet size: 19.3x13.1cm |
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31 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-20" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 21) | Image size: 14.2x9.3cm Sheet size: 25.8x19.0cm |
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32 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-21" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 20) | Image size: 15.5x9.3cm Sheet size: 25.7x19.0cm |
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33 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-26" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 27) | Image size: 14.0x10.0cm Sheet size: 19.2x13.2cm |
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34 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-27" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 26) | Image size: 13.5x10.5cm Sheet size: 18.4x12.3cm |
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35 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-29" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 30) | Image size: 11.2x7.3cm Sheet size: 19.4x13.2cm |
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36 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "II-30" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with Ⅱ- 29) | Image size: 11.2x7.5cm Sheet size: 19.3x13.2cm |
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37 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-06" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 19.3×13.8cm Sheet size: 19.6×13.8cm |
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38 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-11" | Decalcomanie on paper (postcard) | Image size: 13.8x9.0cm Sheet size: 14.2x9.0cm |
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39 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-14" | Decalcomanie | Image size: 18.5×13.9cm Sheet size: 18.5×13.9cm |
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40 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-22" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 22.2x14.7cm Sheet size: 26.3x19.3cm |
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41 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-23" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 24) | Image size: 23.5x17.5cm Sheet size: 26.3x19.0cm |
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42 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-24" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 23) | Image size: 23.8x18.0cm Sheet size: 26.3x19.3cm |
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43 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-28" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 16.0x11.5cm Sheet size: 17.7x12.7cm |
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44 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-31" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 18.5x12.5cm Sheet size: 26.2x19.2cm |
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45 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-32" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 33) | Image size: 18.0×13.0cm Sheet size: 26.2×19.1cm |
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46 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-33" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 32) | Image size: 18.0×13.2cm Sheet size: 26.3×19.2cm |
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47 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-34" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 35) | Image size: 17.5x15.8cm Sheet size: 26.3x19.1cm |
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48 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-35" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 34) | Image size: 18.3x15.5cm Sheet size: 26.3x19.3cm |
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49 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-36" | Decalcomanie on paper | Image size: 19.7x13.3cm Sheet size: 19.7x13.3cm |
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50 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-37" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 38) | Image size: 15.8x11.5cm Sheet size: 19.0x13.1cm |
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51 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-38" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 37) | Image size: 17.3x12.0cm Sheet size: 19.3x13.2cm |
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52 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-39" | Decalcomanie | Image size: 23.0x12.8cm Sheet size: 23.0x12.8cm |
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53 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-43" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 44) | Image size: 17.5×13.6cm Sheet size: 17.5×13.6cm |
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54 |
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Shuzo Takiguchi | "III-44" | Decalcomanie on paper (set with III- 43) | Image size: 17.5×13.6cm Sheet size: 17.5×13.6cm |
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