Koichi Maeda – Sunset at the Bridge

Original woodblock print, hand-signed and numbered 22/40 by the artist. First published in 1989.

The experience of viewing prints by Koichi Maeda is similar to that of viewing woodblock prints by Kawase Hasui. The current print remotely reminds one of the print by Kawase Hasui called “Morning at Niju Bridge”, perhaps because of the presence of a bridge and the sun coloring the sky in the background. As always, it turns out that on a more superficial level, the prints are neither alike in composition nor in techniques, and that the similarities between Koichi Maeda and Kawase Hasui really lay in the experience their woodblock prints evoke.

Image size (excluding margins): 40.3 * 55.0 cm (15.9 * 21.7 in).

The print is in very good condition. There are wrinkles in the left margin, extending slightly into the image. There are also two irregularities in the left corners, as if the print has been clipped at one point.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

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Koichi Maeda (b. 1936) is a Japanese woodblock artist with enormous experience. Already in 1961, at the age of 25, his works were exhibited through the Japan Print Association. His early works, now rare to find, are reminiscent of impressionistic art, but his later works became more naturalistic. Still, his art is very atmospheric and echoes the nature of the woodblock prints of Kawase Hasui. His landscapes bring serenity and take the viewer to beautiful and calm places.

Koichi Maeda hand-signs his prints, and they are numbered, typically in editions of 80. Pricing ranges from about 200E to 500E, depending on the design.

See an overview of Koichi Maeda's woodblock prints