Hasui: Hall of the Golden Hue, Hiraizumi (Published 1st Edition) 平泉金色堂 絶筆

Artist: Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Title: Hall of the Golden Hue, Hiraizumi  Date: 1957

This was Hasui’s final work, like a visual poem eloquently bidding goodbye to the world, the perfect visual jisei, a farewell artwork of deep emotional power. Perhaps the artist sees himself ascending the steps to Amida’s pureland, just as this monk ascends the steps to the Hall of the Golden Hue. There were only 50 to 100 of these very first editions that were distributed to those attending Hasui’s memorial service, one hundred days following his death. Hasui knew this would be his last work, and completed this while in the final stages of his cancer. He wrote about this work in his diary, and devoted particular attention to creating a memorable design that would serve as his final gift to the world, spending a month finalizing the design before submitting the work to Watanabe for production.  The first edition of this work, as indicated by the "Zeppitsu" seal in the mid-left margin, was distributed by Hasui’s widow to those who attended Hasui’s 100-day memorial service after his death. There are several later editions, including the 1979 second edition that includes additional seals in the margin and is now selling in the five figures. There is also a much later Heisei edition that has a red seal in the lower right margin. Note that there is a real danger in buying this work at auction, as doctored works have been appearing on the market, sometimes even achieving record prices. The provenance of this print is incomparable, as it is from the collection of the late scholar and collector Hisao Shimizu, and it has been published in at least three Japanese books that he authored. Hisao Shimizu was the curator of the Ota City Folk Museum and a specialist in the art of Kawase Hasui. He also collected works by Hasui for more than 30 years, eventually selling his collection upon retirement through Egenolf Gallery.

Price: $75,000

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Mint.
Dimensions: ôban 39 x 26.4
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô Seal: Kawase and “Zeppitsu” (”Last Work”)
Signature: Hasui
Literature: Narazaki #567; Hotei #613. This exact print was published in Hisao Shimizu, Hasui Kawase, Folk Museum of Ota City, 2007, p. 83, number 239. This exact print is also published in Hisao Shimizu, Collected Works of Kawase Hasui, Tokyo Bijutsu, 2013, page 196. This exact print is also published in Hisao Shimizu, Kawase Hasui: The Definitive Edition, Bessatu Taiyo, 2017, page 13. For the original 1934 sketch that Hasui drew inspiration from, see page 301 of Shimizu, H. (Ed.). (2013). 川瀬巴水作品集 [Kawase Hasui sakuhinshū]. Special exhibition of “Hasui Kawase- In commemoration of his 130 Anniversary, Tokyo: Tokyo Bijutsu.

SKU: HAC613H