【Art Print】Kawase Hasui - Arashiyama in Spring

*Framing Options: Professional museum-grade framing is a time-consuming process. Orders require a 2-3 week waiting period. Thank you for your patience. *Unframed Print Only: Ships in 3-5 business days. Art Printing: Made in Taiwan. Handcrafted Framing: Made in Taiwan. --- Artwork Sizes: Small: 30 x 42 cm Medium: 50 x 72 cm Large: 60 x 86 cm *For other sizes, please contact us for a consultation. --- Artwork Medium: Art Print Giclée on Etching Paper --- Hanging Method: Aluminum frames come with a steel wire on the back. You can use 3M Command Hooks (please purchase the 5kg or higher weight capacity version for safety) to hang the artwork on your wall. *The original artwork is a woodblock print, so the brushstrokes will appear bold and rustic. https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2025/08/20/263d650fd59ceeaf5b158a46ca191e86.jpg Kawase Hasui (1883–1957) is one of Japan's most important modern Shin-hanga (new prints) artists, hailed as "Hiroshige of the Showa era." Born in Shiba, Tokyo, he initially studied Western painting before turning to traditional Japanese art under Kiyokata Kaburagi. Inspired by his fellow student Shinsui Ito's work, Hasui began dedicating himself to the Shin-hanga movement in 1918 and collaborated with the renowned publisher Watanabe Shozaburo, embarking on a creative career that spanned decades. Hasui's work primarily features landscape prints. He excelled at capturing the subtle shifts in light and shadow across the seasons, transforming the natural scenery and cityscapes of various regions in Japan into poetic imagery. His compositions often evoke a serene atmosphere, frequently depicting dusk, night, rain, or snow. Figures are scarce or entirely absent, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the pure landscape and experience a sense of solitary romance. This unique aesthetic made his works highly popular both domestically and internationally during his time, earning him the moniker "Painter of Travel." In terms of technique, Hasui combined the traditions of Ukiyo-e with the light and shadow treatment of Western Impressionism. He not only continued the meticulous carving and color layering of woodblock printing but also skillfully employed the "bokashi" (graduated tone) technique, creating a soft, watercolor-like effect in his prints. This required a high degree of coordination between the carver and printer. Compared to the flat color application of Edo-period Ukiyo-e, Hasui's works possess a more painterly quality, showcasing the innovative spirit of Shin-hanga. Throughout his life, Kawase Hasui created approximately 620 woodblock prints, including significant series such as "Twelve Scenes of Tokyo," "Collection of Japanese Landscapes," and "Twenty Views of Tokyo." His works not only document the appearance of Japanese cities and countryside during the Taisho and Showa eras but also garnered widespread international acclaim. In 1956, he was designated a "Living National Treasure" for his outstanding contributions to Japanese art. He passed away the following year at the age of 74. Today, Kawase Hasui's prints are held in the collections of major museums worldwide, including the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. His artistic achievements symbolize the fusion of Japanese tradition and modernity, preserving the romantic imagery of Japan's landscapes and showcasing the infinite charm of woodblock printing in the modern era. "Actual photo shoot of Japanese antique print series output" https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2025/08/20/a191786d3ceaccd20409091993920a1f.jpg Understanding Japanese Woodblock Prints: Production Process and Roles 1️⃣ Artist (絵師, Eschi) Responsible for creating the original draft (下絵). Provides overall composition, character, and landscape design. Example: Hokusai Katsushika, Hiroshige Utagawa, Kawase Hasui. 2️⃣ Publisher (版元, Hanmoto) The core of the team, similar to a "producer + distributor." Finances and plans the work, decides on themes and collaborates with artists. Hires carvers and printers, oversees progress and quality. Responsible for sales and promotion, determines print run. Example: Watanabe Shozaburo during the Shin-hanga movement. 3️⃣ Carver (彫師, Hōshi) Transfers the artist's draft onto woodblocks. Each color requires a dedicated woodblock. Requires extremely high precision, down to the millimeter, to avoid misregistration of colors. 4️⃣ Printer (摺師, Surishi) Uses woodblocks and pigments to print the image layer by layer onto Japanese paper (washi). Responsible for color intensity, "bokashi" (graduated tone), and light/shadow effects. The skill level directly impacts the final appearance of the artwork. https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2023/07/11/4b853563c2267abe4f46e392cf820e6b.jpg https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2022/04/12/c6d34fbc231337ab8da27935ab4f31db.jpg https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2022/01/14/1134fa6cd7cfbb6ffc6c2529c9f80d92.jpg https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2022/01/14/1aa39bffc4d2ad4f72254a345e4e294e.jpg https://image-cdn-flare.qdm.cloud/q665027dd6a3a4/image/data/2023/10/26/b011dd717f432dd262c032f1f02f4f8f.jpg