Hasui 巴水: Sansen Cliff on Kongo Mountain 金剛山三仙巌 (SOLD)

Artist: Kawase Hasui 巴水 (1883-1957)
Title: Sansen Cliff on Kongo Mountain 金剛山三仙巌 Date: 1939

Also known as Samburam Rock, Kumgang Mountain. Vertiginous cliffs rise high above green treetops in this view of Korea. As Narazaki wrote: “Hasui’s trip to Korea served to refresh the artist... The scenery and customs that Hasui witnessed in Korea marked an artistic turning point. He illustrates the bizarre shape of the Samburam rock in the Diamond mountains [Kumgangsan, in present-day Democratic People’s Republic of Korea], showcasing its imposing character. The lines of the rock are bold, the shape angular and the colour vivid”. Note that most extant examples have the Watanabe seal above the Kansai Bijutsusha seal, with the lower seal crossed out. That is because Watanabe bought the rights to publish the set from Kansai Bijutsusha and later superimposed the Watanabe seal as a copyright mark. Note that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is currently featuring an exhibition of Hasui’s Korean scenes from the Balcer Collection (through June 23, 2025).  A scarce design. Provenance: From the personal collection of René Balcer. 

Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. As this is an oversized work, the two lower edges have suffered some creasing. Also some discoloration and staining to the lower verso. Dimensions: ô-ôban (42 x 29.4 cm)
Publisher: Kansai Bijutsusha 
Literature: Kendall Brown, Kawase Hasui: The complete woodblock prints, 2003, no. 430. Narazaki number 436. See Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, LACMA, VMFA Seal: Kansai Bijutusha (right margin)  Signature: Hasui with Kawase seal

SKU: HAC430R