Picture of A-bombing, painted by mother of artist Iri Maruki, found at relative’s home in Hiroshima
Mar. 4, 2017
by Aya Nishimura, Staff Writer
A picture painted by Suma Maruki (1875-1956) has been found at a relative’s home in Hiroshima. Suma’s son Iri Maruki, who was originally from Hiroshima, and his wife Toshi are well known for The Hiroshima Panels, a series of paintings which depict the atomic bombing. This painting by Suma is valuable in that it vividly depicts a scene she witnessed in the aftermath of the atomic bombing and relates to The Hiroshima Panels, according to a researcher.
The picture is painted in ink and watercolor on traditional Japanese paper of 45 centimeters on each side. Painted in the center is a line of injured people crossing a bridge. There is a woman who is sitting with a baby in her arms, and there are people sprawled over one another in the river. The picture has been made into a hanging scroll, and written on the surface of the top rod is “pikadon,” which is an onomatopoeic word that conveys the atomic bombing by combining “pika” (flash) and “don” (boom).
The picture was found on March 1 among 20 works of Suma, Iri, and Toshi in the house where Suma once lived. Yukinori Okamura, a curator at the Maruki Gallery for The Hiroshima Panels, and others visited the house where Naoya Maruki, 47, Suma’s great-grandson and an acupuncturist, now lives and found a wooden box sitting in a closet. Mr. Okamura has been studying art works related to the Marukis that are housed in the museum located in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture.
Suma was at home at the time of the atomic bombing, which killed her husband and relatives. The bridge in her picture is believed to be Mitaki Bridge, which is not far from her house. Several days after the atomic bombing, Iri came back to Hiroshima from Saitama, where he lived then, and Toshi joined him later. It is believed that the artists got part of their inspiration for The Hiroshima Panels from Suma’s experience.
Encouraged by Toshi, Suma began painting in her 70s. She is known for simple but powerful pictures of dogs, cats, birds, and flowers.
Mr. Okamura thinks that Suma painted this picture around 1950, shortly after she took up painting. “Some pictures on the atomic bombing by Suma exist. But this is the most vivid depiction I’ve ever seen. There are similarities to people depicted in The Hiroshima Panels,” he said. Mr. Okamura is seeking a way to present her works to the public.
(Originally published on March 4, 2017)
A picture painted by Suma Maruki (1875-1956) has been found at a relative’s home in Hiroshima. Suma’s son Iri Maruki, who was originally from Hiroshima, and his wife Toshi are well known for The Hiroshima Panels, a series of paintings which depict the atomic bombing. This painting by Suma is valuable in that it vividly depicts a scene she witnessed in the aftermath of the atomic bombing and relates to The Hiroshima Panels, according to a researcher.
The picture is painted in ink and watercolor on traditional Japanese paper of 45 centimeters on each side. Painted in the center is a line of injured people crossing a bridge. There is a woman who is sitting with a baby in her arms, and there are people sprawled over one another in the river. The picture has been made into a hanging scroll, and written on the surface of the top rod is “pikadon,” which is an onomatopoeic word that conveys the atomic bombing by combining “pika” (flash) and “don” (boom).
The picture was found on March 1 among 20 works of Suma, Iri, and Toshi in the house where Suma once lived. Yukinori Okamura, a curator at the Maruki Gallery for The Hiroshima Panels, and others visited the house where Naoya Maruki, 47, Suma’s great-grandson and an acupuncturist, now lives and found a wooden box sitting in a closet. Mr. Okamura has been studying art works related to the Marukis that are housed in the museum located in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture.
Suma was at home at the time of the atomic bombing, which killed her husband and relatives. The bridge in her picture is believed to be Mitaki Bridge, which is not far from her house. Several days after the atomic bombing, Iri came back to Hiroshima from Saitama, where he lived then, and Toshi joined him later. It is believed that the artists got part of their inspiration for The Hiroshima Panels from Suma’s experience.
Encouraged by Toshi, Suma began painting in her 70s. She is known for simple but powerful pictures of dogs, cats, birds, and flowers.
Mr. Okamura thinks that Suma painted this picture around 1950, shortly after she took up painting. “Some pictures on the atomic bombing by Suma exist. But this is the most vivid depiction I’ve ever seen. There are similarities to people depicted in The Hiroshima Panels,” he said. Mr. Okamura is seeking a way to present her works to the public.
(Originally published on March 4, 2017)
