Nagano combined both Eastern and Western methods to develop his unique style as he traveled to places both near and far in search of material. During the 1970s and 1980s, he rendered sites in France, Italy, Crete, and Japan, as well as Hawaii, Florida and Boston, with dappled brushwork, transforming his subjects into sparkling, enchanting worlds of color. Curiously, many of these paintings incorporated the element of water, whether it be meandering river or wind-blown shoreline. Even a bold city scene like Late September Esplanade Runner contains a bit of water in the form of the sparkling Storrow Lagoon set between the jogger and the brownstones and skyscrapers beyond. Nagano’s eye for composition transforms an everyday scene into an intriguing interplay of horizontal and vertical elements, while his love of brilliant color comes to the fore in rendering the changing fall leaves.

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Provenance:

Private collection, Boston, Massachusetts

Labels:

1). (handwritten sticker) “LATE SEPTEMBER ESPLANADE / RUNNER” / watercolor – 30 x 22 ½

2). (artist’s address label) PAUL T. NAGANO / Fenway Studio 406 / 30 Ipswich St. / Boston, MA 02215-3615 USA