Two Daughters

Working in his new studio, Fuwa Akira completed this painting portraying two of his daughters, the eldest and the third. The composition revolves around a magazine on a table and the two young women’s hands touching it, while one wears a wristwatch and the other grasps a glove. One daughter is wearing a striped dress and sits with crossed legs, while the other wears a blouse with thinner stripes and a navy blue skirt, with her legs stretched out. The chair on the right is perpendicular to the wall, and the one on the left is parallel to it. Each element is meticulously balanced to compose the entire scene. This work earned Fuwa Akira a Special Selection at the Nitten (Japan Fine Art Exhibition) and the Asakura Prize. Fuwa was born in Tokyo, and studied watercolor under Goto Koshi and later under Ishii Hakutei. He showed work at the Issuikai and Nitten exhibitions, and was a member of the Nitten and chairman of Nihon Suisaigakai (the Japan Watercolor Society). (N.R.)