Painting: “Matsuzakaya”

“Matsuzakaya” by Leo Jahaan.
Oil on canvas, 2014.
90 cm x 120 cm.

“Matsuzakaya” is based on a Japanese department store’s paper that was used to wrap purchases in the early 1900’s.  Japan was one of the first countries to use these custom wrappings for virtually every purchase, even in small stores, while other countries were still using plain brown paper.  The first Matsuzakaya department store opened in 1611 and a chain of stores still exists today.