24-283 Michael Knigin 1979 Pop Art Silkscreen Print

Striking Pop-Art image by Michael Jay Knigin titled “Lion Dancer” after Hirosada. Numbered 165/300. Signed “Knigin 79 ©.” The condition is good. The image is 16 x 26 inches on a larger sheet. A surrealist / Pop-Art silkscreen print depicting a Japanese kabuki actor with a fanciful lion headress superimposed on a monochrome photo of the downtown New York City skyline. The ink is bright and in excellent condition. Some signs of handling and age-related age toning around the edges, to be hidden by the mat. Currently unframed. Marked on the back “H. Walter Smith 1979” − the name of the printer.

Michael Jay Knigin (New York, 1942-2011) received his degree from Tyler School of Art. He owned a print shop serving artists including Warhol and Lichtenstein. He taught printmaking at Pratt Institute. Michael’s work is in the Whitney, Albright-Knox, The Cooper Hewitt, The Israel Museum, and the Smithsonian.

Utagawa Hirosada (Japanese, 1810–1864) was a well known and prolific illustrator of kabuki actors.