Hasui 巴水: Arifuku Spa, Iwami 石見有福温泉

Artist: Kawase Hasui 巴水 (1883-1957)
Title: Arifuku Spa, Iwami 石見有福温泉 

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

Evening has fallen on this spa town nestled in a mountain forest. Steam rises from the naturally hot water streaming into wooden tubs and into a large hidden spring at bottom. Our view is from the top of a set of steep steps, looking down a village path in the evening. Bright yellow lights glow invitingly from several windows. As Narazaki wrote: "This ravine village–illustrated from a slightly elevated viewpoint–must have been difficult to depict. Hasui's ability to overcome this obstacle makes this print interesting. The mood of an evening scene at the spa town, with steam seen rising here and there, is well conveyed". 

Arifuku is a small rural village famous for its onsen, hot springs, a short drive away from Hamada in Iwami on the Sea of Japan. The resort has more than 1000 years of history. This is the first edition, as this round Watanabe seal was in use until 1925. Provenance: From the collection of the late Hasui scholar Hisao Shimizu. 

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. 
Dimensions: ôban (38.5 x 26.2 cm)
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô
Literature: Kendall Brown, Kawase Hasui: The complete woodblock prints, 2003, no. 127. Narazaki #129. See The Art Institute of Chicago, VMFA, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston collections. Seal: Watanabe Signature: Hasui with Kawase seal

SKU: HAC127S