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| "Geisha series #16": old print, collage and digital. |
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Tracing Traveling Ukiyoe Artist Kawase Hasui
The ukiyoe artist Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) lived through tumultuous times, but you wouldn’t know it from his woodblock prints. Sometimes referred to as a poet with the spirit of a traveler, Hasui traveled Japan in search of nostalgic and everyday landscapes that struck a chord in his own heart. Often depicting the quiet and forlorn, Hasui’s art was perhaps his way of coping with the dramatic shift that was occurring in Japan: a rapid and widespread drive to modernize and engage with the rest of the world.
“Zōjō-ji Temple, Shiba, from the series Twenty Views of Tokyo” (1925) Woodcut on paper, S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO.
Born in Tokyo in 1883, Hasui was a prolific and influential artist of
the shin hanga, or “new print” movement. He was “inspired by breezes,
and spent his days traveling with the sun, clouds, and rain, painting
the scenery of all four seasons of Japan. This was also a journey to
seek the scenery of old times.” That’s according to the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, which is currently showcasing some 280 of the more than 600 works produced by the artist (on view through December 26, 2021).
Many of the artist’s prints and sketches were destroyed in 1923 when the
Great Kanto Earthquake devastated Tokyo. “The works that predate this
event are extremely scarce and in great demand today,” explains the
gallery. “Undaunted, Hasui continued to design prints until his death in
1957, for an audience both in Japan and abroad.”
“Moon at Magome, from the series Twenty Views of Tokyo” (1930) Woodcut on paper S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO.“Kishō, Nishiizu” (1937) Woodcut on paper S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO
“Ichinokura at Ikegami, Sunset, from the series Twenty Views of Tokyo” (1928) Woodcut on paper S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO. “Komagata Embankment, from the series Twelve Scenes of Tokyo” (1919) Woodcut on paper S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO. 《The Ferry Port at Tsukishima, from the series Twelve Months of Tokyo》 1921, Woodcut on paper S.WATANABE COLOR PRINT CO.
Thanks for coming by today.
4 comments:
I love everything about this geisha piece! Just lovely! :-)
Thanks so much, John. This is a new one of the series, as of last night.
How wonderful you showed some of Kawase Hasui's work and told a bit about his life. His world totally changed while he was living. That must have been really hard for the Japanese people. What they achieved after the dramatic disaster must be seen with deep respect.
Your beautiful digital collage is the perfect start for this interesting blog.
Thank you Elenor, she was fun to work on, bu time consuming,
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