Norio Azuma: An Artist in Demand — A Glimpse Through His 1969 Sales Record

The document shown—an official sales record from Associated American Artists, dated January 1969—offers a rare and revealing snapshot into the active career of Norio Azuma during the late 1960s. More than a simple receipt, it serves as concrete evidence of Azuma’s market presence, his steady collector base, and the commercial strength of his serigraphs during a pivotal moment in American printmaking.

Addressed to Norio Azuma at 576 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025, the sheet lists a series of sales that occurred during December 1968, demonstrating that Azuma’s work continued to be purchased even during the holiday period, one of the busiest and most competitive seasons in the art market. Associated American Artists, one of the most influential print distributors of the 20th century, handled the works of many major artists; Azuma’s inclusion on their roster underscores his respected position among American and international printmakers of the era.

The document records the sale of several serigraphs, each identified by title and remittance value. Works such as “Image B,” “Peaceful Image,” “Image of Purple,” “Hillside,” and other compositions appear multiple times, indicating that these were part of Azuma’s highly successful image series. The presence of repeat titles also reveals something important about his artistic practice: Azuma produced limited editions, and demand was strong enough that multiple impressions of the same composition were consistently sold.

The prices shown—ranging from $25 to $125—may appear modest by today’s standards, but in the context of the 1960s print market, these amounts were significant. For an artist working primarily in serigraphy, this level of steady revenue reflected both popularity and professional recognition. Notably, “Image of Purple” sold at the highest price on this sheet, at $125, suggesting that it stood out among collectors for its strength of composition, color relationships, or thematic resonance.

Another particularly telling detail is the handwritten total, $512.50, marking Azuma’s earnings for that single month of sales. For an independent printmaker in the late 1960s, this represented substantial income and confirmed his ability to sustain a thriving career through continuous production and exhibition. It also reflects the strategic role of Associated American Artists, an organization known for bringing museum-level artwork to a broad public audience.

The sheet itself—complete with handwritten notes, approval signatures, and catalog numbers—serves as a historical reminder that Azuma was not simply an experimental artist working in isolation. He was part of a professional network, regularly selling to collectors across the United States and maintaining strong relationships with galleries and agencies that supported his work.

This single document highlights a crucial truth about Norio Azuma: his art resonated with audiences in real time. His clean geometry, balanced color relationships, and refined serigraph technique appealed to a generation of collectors seeking modern, sophisticated visual language. Today, sales records like this are more than administrative artifacts—they are proof of Azuma’s enduring relevance, his commercial vitality, and his important place in the history of American printmaking.