Hasui 巴水: Mount Asahi Seen from Mount Shirouma 白馬山より見たる朝日嶽

Artist: Kawase Hasui 巴水 (1883-1957)
Title: Mount Asahi Seen from Mount Shirouma 白馬山より見たる朝日嶽

Series: Souvenirs of Travel, Third Series 旅みやげ第三集 (Tabi miyage dai sanshû)
Date: 1924 大正十三年

Bold contrasts in texture and tonality characterize this design, which is somewhat atypical of Hasui’s more pedestrian-friendly canon. Hasui accomplished some serious hiking to get this view from Mount Shirouma, which is famous for its alpine flowers once the snow melts in spring. Mt Asahi-dake is the northernmost peak of the Norther Japan Alps, with an elevation of about 2000 meters. The outlines of the clouds are done with relief printing and feature purple and pink applied with the edge-use baren technique. A sublime Taishô-era work.  “This mountain scene is based on a sketch made when Hasui climbed Mt. Shirouma...The shape of the mountain blanketed in a lingering snowfall is beautiful, its placement in the distance creates a majestic feel” –Narazaki. This round Watanabe seal was in early use until about 1925, so this may be considered a first edition. Note that the example published in the Hotei/Brown as well as in the Narazaki catalogues raisonné from the Watanabe collection both have the same round Watanabe seal, as here.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Minor smudge near lower margin.
Dimensions: ôban (26 x 39.3 cm)
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô
Literature: Kendall Brown, Kawase Hasui: The complete woodblock prints, 2003, no. 126. Narazaki #128. See The Art Institute of Chicago, VMFA, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collections. Seal: Watanabe S ignature: Hasui with Kawase seal

SKU: HAC126W