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<b>EVENING SNOW, EDO RIVER</b> / Kawase Hasui1929<B>SOLD</B></em>
ARTIST: Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
TITLE: Evening Snow, Edo River
MEDIUM: Woodblock
EDITION: Doi Teiichi, Publisher, Endo (carver) Matsushita (printer), first state
DATE: 1929
DIMENSION: 15 ½ x 10 ½ inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
LITERATURE: Kendall H. Brown, Kawase Hasui: The Complete Woodblock Prints, 2003, pl. 270
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SOLD
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Details
Snow scenes are among the most sought-after designs in Hasui's oeuvre and in Shin Hanga. This design, Evening Snow, Edo River, is one of a handful not published by Watanabe but by Doi Teiichi and happens to be among the best of these Doi designs. This exquisite print features two kimono-clad women with umbrellas enjoying the view of the snow from an iconic vantage point. This work's composition and atmospheric quality make it an icon of Shin Hanga and an excellent choice for the discriminating collector.
Connoisseur's Note
Collectors and connoisseurs of Japanese prints will tell you that an early impression is paramount. These early impressions, if in fine condition, will give you the exact idea the artist and the team of artisans strived to achieve. This impression of Evening Snow, Edo River is a testimony to the heights of this achievement. The design depicts a snowy evening on a picturesque bridge overlooking a calm river--an alone compelling subject—and as the viewer looks more closely, this early impression's features sets itself apart from other impressions.
Note the subtle bokashi (gradation of colors) found throughout the design—most notable in the sky above the homes, as well as around the riverbed—coupled with the natural woodgrain pattern in the night sky, unfolds into an atmospheric snowglobe-like world all its own.
