Vintage Mid-Century Oil Painting Contemplative Monk with Butterfly Kingo Fujii Hawaii Artist

Kingo Fujii (American, 1927-2012) oil painting on canvas depicting an older man with clean shaven head sharing a contemplative moment with a butterfly. Signed lower margin “Kingo Fujii”. Framed in period wood frame. Measures 34in x 22in framed and 29.5in x 17.5in image only. Condition: Painting in excellent condition, frame is slightly worn with age. Fujii was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, his father was a director/actor, artist, and chief choreographer for the original Hawaii Kabuki Theater Group. His mother was a teacher of traditional Japanese musical instruments. Kingo Fujii was a WWII Army Veteran and attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts School, The Chicago Art Institute, the University of Hawaii and the Instituto Allende, Mexico. As a fine artist he expressed himself through surrealism, semi-impressionism and traditional or neo-orientalism. As a scientific illustrator his interests and applications were in many fields – including zoological, botanical, archeological, etc. He is also was an illustrator of children’s books. He has illustrated for Encyclopedia Britannica, Harper and Row, Highlander Press, Reverie Publishing, and other textbook publishers.