Details

The sosaku hanga artist Azechi Umetaro was an avid mountaineer. He dedicated a large portion of his artistic career to depicting the various mountains he climbed and immortalizing the men who climbed with him. In this charming design, we have a figure who is most likely one of the mountaineers who joined Azechi’s treks. The figure is shown bright-eyed and facing to the viewer’s left. Around his shoulder is a climber’s rope. The backdrop is a rugged mountainous landscape that ascends to nearly the top portion of the composition. The mountain is shown clad in bright, fresh snow—a tone that matches the color of the mountaineer’s eyes. The figure's sharp oval eye also echoes the rugged peak that lies before him. 

Connoisseur's Note

Self-printed Azechi prints were usually produced in small runs. At the time of this design, his self-printed editions numbered 50 impressions, as is the case with this printing. Later impressions of this design are identifiable by a different and harsher coloration as well as the larger stylized block signature the artist used after 1960. These later printings were produced by Yoseido Gallery using professional printers but lack the emotional depth and spontaneous printing quality of the self-printed versions.