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Kawase Hasui was one of the most prolific artists of the shin-hanga (new prints) landscape movement. He created approximately 600 landscape prints during his career, and throughout this body of work, there is an aesthetic cohesion that few other Japanese woodblock print artists achieved. His landscapes are beautiful and serene, but they have often been criticized for their monotony. His adhesion to only one style makes sense when the art market he had to appease in order to make a living is considered. Satisfying publishers and his general audience was the priority, even if it limited his creative freedom. Despite this, Kawase Hasui created tranquil, elegant scenes that continually inspire viewers. Shortly before his death, Hasui was awarded the title of Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, one of the oldest and highest honors for an artist in Japan.Label Type
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To create his designs, Hasui would travel extensively throughout Japan to sketch his subjects on site. He would draw as long as there was daylight, scanning his surroundings for compelling subjects and compositions, and sketching them primarily with graphite pencils. Later, he would add color, sometimes altering the season or time of day to add dramatic effect. Those alterations can be seen in this print, which depicts Nagoya Castle. Most prints with this design contained in the collections of other museums show a daytime scene, while this print is clearly portraying twilight.