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<b>THE RIVER SOME, KOSHU</b> / Kawase Hasui1921<B>SOLD</B></em>
ARTIST: Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
TITLE: The River Some, Koshu
MEDIUM: Woodblock
DATE: 1921
DIMENSIONS: 15 5/8 x 10 1/8 inches
PUBLISHER: S. Watanabe Print Co.
CONDITION: Pristine, with sharp and vivid colors—no condition problems to note
LITERATURE: Kendall H. Brown, Kawase Hasui: The Complete Woodblock Prints, 2003, pl.76
NOTE: Rare pre-earthquake design
SOLD
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Details
A towering composition, Hasui elegantly composes a scene that is both idyllic as much as it is dramatic. At the center top, a summit is rendered in deep blue hues that trail off in expertly executed bokashi to a soft light blue mist-like quality. This blue bokashi is reintroduced at the lower center portion of the composition, which accentuates the cascading stream of the river that cuts through the composition below.
The exhilarating quality of this bokashi instantly makes this print identifiable as a pre-earthquake design, as only Watanabe’s pre-earthquake impressions showcased this dramatic level of skill in printing. The rolling hills that meander throughout the composition provide soft support for the eye to rest and linger.
Connoisseur's Note
As with all pre-earthquake prints, this design is among the rarest works in Shin Hanga, as the earthquake destroyed Watanabe’s studio along with the original blocks and unsold inventory. Only prints sold before the earthquake and removed from Tokyo, as most of the city was destroyed by the ensuing fires, survived. This is an exceedingly rare opportunity to own a stunning Hasui design with fresh and vivid colors in its original state.
