{"product_id":"kawanishi-hide-川西英-hyuga-aoshima-日向青島","title":"Kawanishi Hide 川西英: Tropical Path to Aoshima Shrine 日向青島","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist: \u003c\/strong\u003eIshizaki Shigetoshi 石崎重利 (1901-1999)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle: \u003c\/strong\u003eHyûga (Aoshima) 日向青島  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eApril 1939\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeries:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100 Views of New Japan 新日本百景 (Shin Nihon Hyakkei)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003ePatterned fern fronds seem to beckon us towards an entrance door in this bright, tropical scene. This is the path leading up to the small but important Shinto shrine of Aoshima-jinja, famous for its power in granting matchmaking wishes. The small, ten-acre island of Aoshima is today a National Special Natural Monument for its plant life, with many tropical and sub-tropical plants that inspired the jungle-like mood shown here. We see candy-cane-striped railings as well as a sign board, and it probably looks much the same today. The bright, tropical colors and shapes of the flowers and fruits combined with the oversized leaves of many variety gives the work a playful quality. Light and deep shadows play on the ground. Number ten in the series. The title of the print, Hyûga Aoshima (日向青島), is included within the design, in the blue cartouche at lower left. This dealer has seen estimates on the edition size of this set that range from 50 to 150. In any event, this is a design that does not surface very often. The series title is stamped in the upper right margin, and the name of the print association, Nihon hanga kyokai is in the lower left. The artist’s name is written in pencil on the lower right margin, but it is not known if this was written by the artist himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eKawanishi Hide was a self-taught artist from Kobe, where he made a living as a postmaster. He exhibited his first prints in 1923 with the Japan Creative Print Association, and is known for his use of bold, primary colors as well as for his focus on scenes of Kobe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThirty-three artists contributed to this planned series of one hundred works, all members of the Nihon Hanga Kyôkai (Japan Woodblock Print Association). The first work was produced in December of 1938, and the series was halted after publishing  thirty-nine works, in 1941. There were two artist\/editors of the set: numbers 1-9 were by Fujimori Shizuo and Maekawa Senpan took over for numbers 10-39. According to the Art Gallery of New South Wales website, publication of this series was stopped by the Japanese authorities during WWII because they feared that the interior of Japan would become known to its enemies. This would not be surprising given the paranoia of wartime, but it is also probable that there were other factors, including limited supplies and artists conscripted into the war machine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExcellent impression, color and condition. \u003c\/span\u003eOne area of light discoloration in upper margin. \u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eNever framed. \u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 24.8 x 32.5 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kawanishi Hide","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42533389533266,"sku":"SNH017","price":950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0079\/3388\/6546\/files\/SNH017.jpg?v=1785742054","url":"https:\/\/egenolfgallery.com\/products\/kawanishi-hide-%e5%b7%9d%e8%a5%bf%e8%8b%b1-hyuga-aoshima-%e6%97%a5%e5%90%91%e9%9d%92%e5%b3%b6","provider":"Egenolf Gallery Japanese Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}