Title:
Western sky
Creator/Contributor:
Hibi, Hisako
Date:
7/1/1945
Identifier:
96.601.48
Format:
painting
oil on canvas
Description:
Unframed, stretched canvas. Image of red sky with clouds, 2 mountain peaks, portions of 3 barracks with 2 to 3 people standing
between them.
Historical Note:
The title of this painting, "Western Sky" informs us that this is a depiction of a sun setting on the Topaz concentration
camp. The soft outline of the sun is barely discernible as it falls below the crevice of the abstracted mountain range.
Hibi uses bright oranges, reds and yellows to draw attention to this dramatic sky. Three barracks lie below but the focus
is clearly on the sunset. The sky predominates the scene, taking up most of the canvas. Even the two figures present in
the painting are diminished in size, adding to the sense of the grandeur of nature. The person at the left appears to be
staring up at the sky as well. Hisako Hibi was certainly interested in landscape painting during this period. This work
is similar to others from this collection in that it exhibits a concern with depicting the outdoors at different times of
day in order to capture the brilliance of nature.
Subject:
Concentration Camps, Topaz | sunset | barracks | mountain | people