Kasamatsu Shiro – Spring at the Moat

Original woodblock print. The first edition of this design was published in 1957. The current print was printed in the Reiwa period (2019 – present).

Three swans swimming together in a moat, in a pleasant and calm print by Shiro Kasamatsu.

The whole design is superb, but a not often stressed detail is the magnificent reflection in the water. When more closely inspecting the way Shiro Kasamatsu depicts water here, it is surprising how, with only a limited number of parts, he is able to create water that looks like it is truly reflecting and swaying and carrying the swans floating on top of it.

Image size (excluding margins): 36.0 * 24.0 cm (14.2 * 9.4 in).

The print is in excellent condition.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

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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