Autumn in Sagano (Signed)

Teruhide Kato – Autumn in Sagano

Original woodblock print, hand-signed by the artist. The first edition of this design was published between 1990 and 2005. The current print is a lifetime edition.

Teruhide Kato shows trees in the colors of autumn above an old building. Only a very small part of the building is shown. This is somewhat reminiscent of a technique already used by ukiyo-e artists such as Hiroshige, where this would be used to enhance the perception of depth. In many of Teruhide Kato’s prints it is however not used for this purpose, but simply to draw attention to the beauty of the elements of the building displayed. Here that is the traditional roof of what is probably a temple in Sagano, near Kyoto. This area is know for its trees, especially its bamboo groves, and trees rise above the roof in this print too.

As often with Teruhide Kato, the composition is very original and possesses a meditative quality, drawing the viewer’s attention to subtle decorations that one might normally miss easily.

Image size (excluding margins): 32.0 * 13.0 cm.

The print is in good state. There is a discoloration in the margin however, showing the border of where the opening in the original folder ended. There is also a scratch in the lower part of the image, through the roof. It is quite hard to see and only visible when looking under a certain angle.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.