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)
1. Work 2. Untitled

Sadamasa Motonaga

1. Work 2. Untitled

Sale Date: April 18, 2015

Auction Closed

Untitled

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled

Sale Date: April 5, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1963

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1963

Sale Date: May 9, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1963

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1963

Sale Date: May 9, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1992

Sale Date: March 14, 2015

Auction Closed

A part of oval is gray, 1989

Sadamasa Motonaga

A part of oval is gray, 1989

Sale Date: March 14, 2015

Auction Closed

Red circles at both ends, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

Red circles at both ends, 1992

Sale Date: March 14, 2015

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1987

Sadamasa Motonaga

Untitled, 1987

Sale Date: March 15, 2015

Auction Closed

Work

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work

Sale Date: March 15, 2015

Auction Closed

Circle and pink

Sadamasa Motonaga

Circle and pink

Sale Date: March 7, 2015

Auction Closed

Two from white square, 1982

Sadamasa Motonaga

Two from white square, 1982

Sale Date: February 7, 2015

Auction Closed

Black vortex and white figures, 1989

Sadamasa Motonaga

Black vortex and white figures, 1989

Sale Date: February 7, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1966

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1966

Sale Date: February 13, 2015

Auction Closed

Chiisana Hashigo No Futatsu, 1980

Sadamasa Motonaga

Chiisana Hashigo No Futatsu, 1980

Sale Date: February 13, 2015

Auction Closed

Green in the Middle, 2004

Sadamasa Motonaga

Green in the Middle, 2004

Sale Date: February 13, 2015

Auction Closed

Folding Screen, 1987

Bakusan Sakaki and Sadamasa Motonaga

Folding Screen, 1987

Sale Date: January 31, 2015

Auction Closed

Work, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1992

Sale Date: January 24, 2015

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Work, 1988

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1988

Sale Date: January 24, 2015

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Work, 1967

Sadamasa Motonaga

Work, 1967

Sale Date: January 24, 2015

Auction Closed

White on either side, 1989

Sadamasa Motonaga

White on either side, 1989

Sale Date: November 29, 2014

Auction Closed

Four-colored holes are on top, 1992

Sadamasa Motonaga

Four-colored holes are on top, 1992

Sale Date: November 29, 2014

Auction Closed

Two of Red and Green, 1989

Sadamasa Motonaga

Two of Red and Green, 1989

Sale Date: November 29, 2014

Auction Closed

A series of Eto (set of 9)

Sadamasa Motonaga

A series of Eto (set of 9)

Sale Date: November 29, 2014

Auction Closed

Sakuhin (Oeuvre), 1965

Sadamasa Motonaga

Sakuhin (Oeuvre), 1965

Sale Date: December 3, 2014

Auction Closed