Koitsu: Snow at Ukimodo, Katata 雪の堅田浮見堂 (First Edition) (SOLD)

Artist: Tsuchiya Kōitsu (1870-1949)
Title: Snow at Ukimodo, Katata 雪の堅田浮見堂
Date: 1934 

The famous Ukimodo “Floating Temple” is shown poised above the water on Lake Biwa, the glow of a single lantern reflecting on the water. The temple is part of Mangetsu-ji, a temple in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture that is part of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. The floating temple hall features in one of the famous “Eight Views of Omi”, which was also depicted by Hiroshige. Snow falls in large flakes and we see one of the pine trees that famously extend along the shoreline. The temple structure shown here was reconstructed in 1937, so this is a view of the original building that has been lost to time. Many consider this work to be Koitsu’s finest design, and it is one of few published by Watanabe, here with the first edition seal at right that was in use 1930-1942. The printing of the postwar versions of this design cannot compare with the depth and texture of the original, prewar printing, as seen here.

Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: ôban (39.2 x 25.5 cm)
Signature: Koitsu

Reference: See MFA Boston for their postwar example.

SKU: KOI025