Details

In this design, Raizan offers the viewer a beautifully subtle and balanced composition. The scene captures a rising full moon as it emerges above the treetops and a pagoda. Softly printed grays with a bold woodgrain effect wash over the scene, creating a poetic atmosphere. The design almost resembles a watercolor or a sumi-e painting. The interplay of light and shadow in this print is an impressive example of Shin Hanga executed at its best during the early period of the movement.

Connoisseur's Note

This woodblock print was acquired by Robert O. Muller, the famed Shin Hanga collector, during his trip to Japan in the late '30s. It has never been framed or displayed. The print’s colors and condition are a testament to the care it has received.