Hasui 巴水: Iwai Seashore in Boshu 房州岩井の浜

Artist: Kawase Hasui 巴水 (1883-1957) Title: Iwai Seashore in Boshu 房州岩井の浜

Series: Souvenirs of Travels, First Series 旅みやげ第一集  (Tabi miyage dai isshû)  Date: 1920 大正九夏

Hasui’s own notes describe the scene perfectly: “A narrow river flows into the sea. Golden clouds reflect the morning sun and a small painted mountain is visible in the background. A boy herds a reddish-brown calf along Iwai Beach during the morning lull of the sea breeze. I attempted to convey the bracing atmosphere of a summer’s morning along this coast.” 

Iwai Beach faces Tokyo Bay in Chiba, on the western coast of Boso Peninsula. It is now part of Minamiboso city. This view from the light brown sands of the beach is largely the same today, perhaps minus the calf. Scarce, pre-earthquake design in excellent condition.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban (38.8 x 26.6 cm)
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô
Literature: Kendall H. Brown, Kawase Hasui: The Complete Woodblock Prints, 2008, no. 16; Carolyn M. Putney, et. al., Fresh Impressions: Early Modern Japanese Prints, Toledo Museum of Art, 2013, p. 110, cat. 42; Kendall Brown, Water and Shadow: Kawase Hasui and Japanese Landscape Prints, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 2014, p. 73, cat. IV.16. See the Art Insititute of Chicago, The Toledo Museum of Art.

Seal: Tomoe ("sui")  Signature: Hasui

SKU: HAS624