Sadamasa Motonaga

(Japanese, 1922–2011)

Sadamasa Motonaga was a Japanese abstract painter and a founding member of the avant-garde Gutai group. He was born on November 26, 1922 in Mie Prefecture, Japan and initially sought to be a cartoonist before turning his attention to painting, studying under the tutelage of Jiro Yoshihara. A pronounced sense of humor remained in his work throughout his lengthy career, creating paintings which are characterized by simple lines and a gentle palette of muted primary colors. Motonaga gradually expanded his practice to include printmaking, stage design, and children’s books, all while continuing his ongoing elliptical investigation into abstract painting. His awards include the Légion d’Honneur from the French government and the Japanese Purple Ribbon Award; he was the first abstract artist to receive the latter. He died on October 3, 2011 in Kobe, Japan, and his work has been the subject of many retrospectives, including at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe in 1998, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art in 2003, and the Mie Prefectural Museum of Art in 2009. The first Western retrospective of his work was held at the Dallas Museum of Art in 2014.

Sadamasa Motonaga Artworks

Sadamasa Motonaga (1,101 results)
Work, 1964

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1964

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Five spirals red square, 1980

Sadamasa Motonaga

Five spirals red square, 1980

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Three triangles, three circles, 1990

Sadamasa Motonaga

Three triangles, three circles, 1990

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1961

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1961

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Works

Sadamasa Motonaga

Works

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1986

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1986

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1986

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1986

Sale Date: April 22, 2017

Auction Closed

AKAIRO NO NAKA DE (IN RED), 1993

Sadamasa Motonaga

AKAIRO NO NAKA DE (IN RED), 1993

Sale Date: April 3, 2017

Auction Closed

OVAL IS BEIGE, SHAPES ARE VARIOUS, 1989

Sadamasa Motonaga

OVAL IS BEIGE, SHAPES ARE VARIOUS, 1989

Sale Date: April 3, 2017

Auction Closed

WORK - TWO COLOURS, 1969

Sadamasa Motonaga

WORK - TWO COLOURS, 1969

Sale Date: April 2, 2017

Auction Closed

WORK, 1963

Sadamasa Motonaga

WORK, 1963

Sale Date: April 2, 2017

Auction Closed

Yellow and White Light Black Back, 1986

Sadamasa Motonaga

Yellow and White Light Black Back, 1986

Sale Date: March 23, 2017

Auction Closed

A large is red color, 1982

Sadamasa Motonaga

A large is red color, 1982

Sale Date: April 8, 2017

Auction Closed

I'M IN WHITE LIGHT, 1975

Sadamasa Motonaga

I'M IN WHITE LIGHT, 1975

Sale Date: March 4, 2017

Auction Closed

One Two Three Seems White Light is Emerging, 1993

Sadamasa Motonaga

One Two Three Seems White Light is Emerging, 1993

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

There are six shapes in the middle white..., 1990

Sadamasa Motonaga

There are six shapes in the middle white..., 1990

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

Red and Ellipse, 1997

Sadamasa Motonaga

Red and Ellipse, 1997

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1961

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1961

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

Work, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1992

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

In the Middle of White Triangle, 2002

Sadamasa Motonaga

In the Middle of White Triangle, 2002

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

Lines of Purple and Red, 1977

Sadamasa Motonaga

Lines of Purple and Red, 1977

Sale Date: February 18, 2017

Auction Closed

Two Chair Backs

Sadamasa Motonaga

Two Chair Backs

Sale Date: February 16, 2017

Auction Closed

Work, 1985

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1985

Sale Date: January 14, 2017

Auction Closed

THREE FORMS, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

THREE FORMS, 1992

Sale Date: January 19, 2017

Auction Closed