Kasamatsu Shiro: Full Moon Rising over Matsushima

Artist: Kasamatsu Shiro (1898-1991)
Title: Moon at Matsushima  Date: 1954

Enchanting and dramatic evening view of one of the beautiful islands of Matsushima, our vantage point framed by the boughs, trunk and roots of an craggy and enduring pine tree. This work really transports us to this specific place, with the rather mysterious shade from the boughs of the tree then opening up to a soft yellow sheen of the moonlight sparkling on the water. The Japanese even have a name for this phenomena; kinpa, or “golden waves”. Matsushima is comprised of more than 200 tiny islands, and it is considered one of the three most celebrated scenic sights in all of Japan, especially when viewed under a full moon. A rarely seen design in this first edition.

The artist worked with the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo between 1919 and the late 1940s. In the early 1950s, he created woodblock designs for the Kyoto publisher, Unsodo, as here. Later,  “Kasamatsu ventured out on his own, carving, printing, and selling his prints. In doing so, he followed the credo of the sôsaku hanga ("creative print": 創作版画) movement — jiga, jikoku, jizuri ("self-painted [drawn or designed], self-carved, self-printed": 自画 自刻 自摺).”  

This is the first edition, published by Unsodo in Kyoto. Note that there are later editions of this work to be found, but very few to be found in this first edition. The publisher’s mark is located in the left margin, above the date of Showa 29 (1954). The date also is removed in later editions.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: 40 x 26.7 cm
Publisher: Unsodo Signature: Shiro 

SKU: SRC013H