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Lot Essay
In Travelogue Series/Palm Tree and the Artist (Lot 463), Masami Teraoka depicts himself watering a palm tree in a Santa Monica garden, reminiscing upon his travels in New York City. Spectators get a peek at Godzilla scaling the Empire State building in the fan-shaped cartouche in the upper-right corner. Teraoka recognises that most Americans have come to identify Godzilla as being emblematic of Japan, and therefore, the beast in the painting stands-in for Teraoka himself, a Japanese native, atop one of the most recognisable icons of New York City. Finally, the beach and palm tree in the composition call to mind the vistas of Santa Monica, placing this scene in Southern California.
The piece chronicles the Teraoka's memories through a painting-in-thepainting approach, providing yet another connection to the ukiyo-e tradition. The protagonist of the painting dons an elegant kimono, even as he goes about his mundane chores watering the plant. The painting indicates that despite having lived in another country for many years, Teraoka stays true in his artistic commitment to Japanese culture and his love for the country.
The piece chronicles the Teraoka's memories through a painting-in-thepainting approach, providing yet another connection to the ukiyo-e tradition. The protagonist of the painting dons an elegant kimono, even as he goes about his mundane chores watering the plant. The painting indicates that despite having lived in another country for many years, Teraoka stays true in his artistic commitment to Japanese culture and his love for the country.