Hasui 巴水: Sakurada Gate 桜田門 (Sold)

Artist: Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Title: Sakurada Gate 桜田門
Series: Twenty Views of Tokyo 東京二十景
Date: 1928

As noted by Narazaki: “Even today, the area around the Sakurada Gate is a place of picturesque beauty in Tokyo...” A single light serves as a beacon, its reflection shimmering in the blue water. Dusk is beautifully evoked, with the last light of the sun fading into the sky. The Sakurada Gate was built in 1636 as part of the original Edo Castle castle grounds, which became the Imperial Palace grounds in 1868. It has withstood both the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the Allied bombing of the palace grounds during WWII.

It is one of the few (only?) views from this series that still look much the same today as it did in the 1920s. There is an interesting alternate version of this design that was printed in shades of soft purple with an added hanging willow tree.

This work combines two of Hasui’s strengths; evening scenes and reflections on water. With the earliest Watanabe seal possible for this work, in use between 1924 and 1930.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Mint.
Dimensions: ôban (25.5 x 38.6)
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô
Literature: Narazaki 1#58; Hotei #156. See LACMA, MFA, AIC Museum websites.
Seal: Kawase
Signature: Hasui

SKU: HAS591