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)
Trois et Un, 1999

Sadamasa Motonaga

Trois et Un, 1999

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1993

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1993

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1987

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1987

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Lines in a mess, 1996

Sadamasa Motonaga

Lines in a mess, 1996

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

The reverse is red and gray, 1986

Sadamasa Motonaga

The reverse is red and gray, 1986

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1963

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1963

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

It looks like white light is shining on the..., 1973

Sadamasa Motonaga

It looks like white light is shining on the..., 1973

Sale Date: July 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Mittsu no Amime, 1988

Sadamasa Motonaga

Mittsu no Amime, 1988

Sale Date: July 3, 2015

Auction Closed

Daen to Katachi, 1996

Sadamasa Motonaga

Daen to Katachi, 1996

Sale Date: July 3, 2015

Auction Closed

Work/ Work/ Work, 1984

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work/ Work/ Work, 1984

Sale Date: July 3, 2015

Auction Closed

Shiroi tsutsu (sold with 29A; set of 2)

Sadamasa Motonaga

Shiroi tsutsu (sold with 29A; set of 2)

Sale Date: July 3, 2015

Auction Closed

Suushiki mo aru (sold with 29B; set of 2)

Sadamasa Motonaga

Suushiki mo aru (sold with 29B; set of 2)

Sale Date: July 3, 2015

Auction Closed

Green shapes are drawn on Cardboard, 1987

Sadamasa Motonaga

Green shapes are drawn on Cardboard, 1987

Sale Date: June 6, 2015

Auction Closed

Dandan Chiichaku

Sadamasa Motonaga

Dandan Chiichaku

Sale Date: June 6, 2015

Auction Closed

Kuroi katachi ha Uiteiru

Sadamasa Motonaga

Kuroi katachi ha Uiteiru

Sale Date: June 6, 2015

Auction Closed

Sakuhin (oeuvre), 1965

Sadamasa Motonaga

Sakuhin (oeuvre), 1965

Sale Date: June 11, 2015

Auction Closed

Two emerge from the white cubes, 1982

Sadamasa Motonaga

Two emerge from the white cubes, 1982

Sale Date: May 24, 2015

Auction Closed

Net under Net and Net, 1990

Sadamasa Motonaga

Net under Net and Net, 1990

Sale Date: May 23, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1988

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1988

Sale Date: May 9, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 2004

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 2004

Sale Date: April 24, 2015

Auction Closed

Right Left Red, 1970

Sadamasa Motonaga

Right Left Red, 1970

Sale Date: April 18, 2015

Auction Closed

Furafurafu, 1983

Sadamasa Motonaga

Furafurafu, 1983

Sale Date: April 18, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 2001

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 2001

Sale Date: April 18, 2015

Auction Closed

White oval, 1988

Sadamasa Motonaga

White oval, 1988

Sale Date: April 18, 2015

Auction Closed