Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) | Bamboo Forest, Tama River | Showa period, 20th century
Lot Closed
November 18, 03:37 PM GMT
Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Bamboo Forest, Tama River
Showa period, 20th century
woodblock print, from the Calendar for the Pacific Transport Lines, 1953, signed in Japanese Hasui, and with printed signature in Roman script to the lower right margin Hasui Kawase, sealed Kawase, titled as above to the lower left margin, issued by the Pacific Transport Lines, Inc. in 1952
Horizontal oban: 25.5 x 38 cm., 10 x 15 in.
The Tama River is a major river in Japan that connects Yamanashi, Kanagawa and Tokyo Prefectures on Honshu island. Its total length spans 138 kilometres and is classified as one of the major rivers in the country. Looking beyond the bamboo forest, we can see vast fields cut through by the river carrying a lonely sailing boat. The fields' colours suggest that the scene is perhaps set in the mid-season between summer and autumn.
Five hundred copies of this calendar were commissioned by the Pacific Transport Lines for distribution in the United States. Although Hasui did not usually undertake this type of work, he became absorbed in the project. For further reading, see Kendall H. Brown, Kawase Hasui - The Complete Woodblock Prints, (The Netherlands, 2003), p. 131.
For another impression of the same print in the collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art, source ID 1483, go to: