Details

In Clouds, Upper Lyell Trail, along Lyell Fork, Chiura Obata captures a moment of vivid natural clarity in the high country of the Sierra Nevada. A sparkling stream threads its way through a forest of pines and underbrush, the water reflecting the blue of the sky and the light movement of drifting clouds. Behind the trees, distant peaks catch the afternoon light, their forms gentle and golden, softened by atmospheric distance. The foreground is rich with detail—scattered rocks, moss, and saplings—all rendered with careful, expressive brushwork.

This woodblock print was created in Japan by the Takamizawa publishing house under Obata’s direct guidance. It faithfully translates the immediacy and freshness of his watercolor sketch into the subtle textures and tonal layering of printmaking. The composition is open and generous, the lines crisp yet never rigid, suggesting both a studied eye and a spontaneous hand. The result is a landscape full of movement and balance, grounded and uplifted all at once.

Connoisseur's Note

What distinguishes this work is its vibrant sense of presence. Obata brings us not just into a place, but into a moment—clear air, dappled light, the soft sound of flowing water. It is not a grand view or a dramatic peak, but a living forest scene that hums with quiet energy. The trees are drawn with character and individuality, and the rhythm of rocks and stream feels almost musical in its pacing.

There is a sense of generosity in this landscape, a feeling that the world here is open and breathing. Obata’s vision is not one of spectacle, but of close attention—to how cloud shadows slip across a ridge, how light touches pine needles, how the land reveals itself in layers. For collectors, this print offers not only technical finesse but emotional depth, a piece that invites one to return again and again, each time noticing something new, something quietly alive.