Kasamatsu Shiro – Hazy Evening at the Edge of Shinobazu Pond

Original woodblock print. The first edition of this design was published in 1932. The current print is from an early post-war edition.

The current design is a popular one. It not only combines both Japanese and Western artistic techniques, but depicts influences from both worlds as well. Ueno park itself was inspired by the way Western parks were setup. Further in the back however, behind the modern electric lanterns, a Torii gate can be seen in front of a stairway with Japanese lanterns at the top, and a Pagoda towering above all further in the distance.

Image size (excluding margins): 36.1 * 23.8 cm (14.2 * 9.4 in).

The print is in excellent state. Many copies of this prints have faded colors, but the colors of the current print have been retained very well. There is a note in pencil on the back and remnants of a previous mounting. There are two pinholes in the left margin.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

—

Kasamatsu Shiro (1898-1991) was a prolific and famous woodblock artist. When only aged thirteen he started as an apprentice. He could trace part of his artistic lineage back via Kaburagi and Yoshitoshi, connecting him to the great Ukiyo-e masters of the 19th century.

He created many prints in the Shin-Hanga style. Many of these depicted traditional themes like landscapes and temples, but within that Shiro displayed great diversity. His prints in the period of 1952-1960 in this style were very successful. This enabled him to experiment and he started working in the Sōsaku-Hanga (creative prints) movement as well, not only designing but also carving and printing himself.

See an overview of Kasamatsu Shiro's woodblock prints