Kawase HASUI Gallery


"B. Tokyo. Given name Bunjiro. Studied as a boy with Aoyagi Bokusen and Araki Kan'yu and as an adult with Okada Saburosuke and Kaburagi Kiyokata. Exhibited Japanese-style paintings with Ugokai and Kyodokai. Inspired by Ito Shinsui's 'Eight Views of Lake Biwa,' which he saw at a Kyodokai exhibition. Sought affiliation with Watanabe Shozaburo by preparing sketches for prints resulting in initial prints of 4 scenes of Shiobara Hot Springs in 1918 and ultimately a lifetime of collaboration. Watanabe published over 100 prints designed by Hasui between 1918 and the 1923 earthquake, among them a series entitled 'Souvenirs of Travel' (Tabi miyage), 1919 and 1923, and 'Twelve Tokyo Subjects' (Tokyo juni dai), 1919. During this period Hasui was also commissioned to design 8 prints of the villa and garden of Baron Iwasaki Koyata; the prints were used as souvenirs for the Baron's guests. The blocks for all of these were lost in the fires following the 1923 earthquake. Hasui went on to design a total of ca. 416 landscapes, working up to the time of his death. Most were published by Watanabe Shozaburo. Kawase also worked with other publishers including Kawaguchi in 1929, Doi Teikichi in 1931, Iida in 1932, and Shiota Takezo in 1935. In 1953, the Committee for the Preservation of Intangible Cultural Treasures, in recognition of the collaborative techniques involved in producing shin-hanga, commissioned Hasui to create a new print entitled 'Snow at Zojoji Temple' with assistance from artisans. The process was carefully documented by Narazaki Muneshige. Hasui was named a Living National Treasure in 1956. Various seals were used before the earthquake; usually a small red circular seal with three teardrop strokes afterward." --'Guide to Modern Japanese Prints: 1900-1975' by H. Merritt and N. Yamada

Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). Titled in English "Kintai-bridge, near Hiroshima"; oban tate-e (9½" x 14½"). Signed "Hasui" with Sui seal LL; also titled and signed ("Hasui Kawase") across bottom margin. Original edition published by Watanabe in 1947 (6-mm seal LR). Condition: good to very good; very slight toning overall; slight matte burn across top and along right side; full margins with a few pinholes in left margin. SOLD. (#A4BW)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). "Nakayamachi in snow"; oban yoko-e (14¼" x 9½"). Signed "Hasui" with Sui seal; published posthumously by Watanabe (7-mm seal LL). Condition: excellent. SOLD. (#LS20)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). "Full Moon at Arakawa River"; oban tate-e (14¼" x 9½"). Signed "Hasui" with Sui seal; originally published in 1929 and republished by Watanabe between 1945-1957 (6-mm seal LL). Condition: excellent. SOLD. (#LS22)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). Night rain; oban tate-e (14¼" x 9½"). Signed "Hasui" with Sui seal; published by Watanabe in "Showa 10" (1935). Condition: excellent. SOLD. (#LS24)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). "Fuji from Narusawa"; oban yoko-e (9½" x 14¼"). Signed "Hasui" and dated "Showa 11" (1936); republished by Watanabe between 1945-1957 (6-mm seal LL). Condition: fair to good; tape residue around edges verso; moderately toned; otherwise intact. $350. (#A0AZ)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957). "Tsukiyo no Fuji (Kawai bashi)" [Moonlight on Mt. Fuji (Kawai bridge)]; oban tate-e (14¼" x 9½"). Signed "Hasui" with Sui seal; published in "Showa 22" (1947). Condition: excellent with intact margins; matted and framed. SOLD. (#98AE)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957; Japanese). "Snowfall at Kiyomizu Temple"; oban tate-e (14" x 9¼"). Signed "Hasui" with red Sui seal; Early edition originally published by Watanabe in 1950 (black 6-mm seal LR). Condition: good to very good; very slight toning; Two small 1-mm holes in upper left margin and foreground deck plank; full margins. $450. (#A4AW)
Hasui Kawase HASUI (1883-1957). "Isho Ningyo", #13 from the series "Gosho Ningyo" (a set of 24 doll prints made for children's day in 1935) (8¼" x 9¼"). Signed "Hasui" with red Hasui seal; published by Junji Kato. Condition: excellent; tipped to the original paper backing with the number "13" on it. SOLD. (#A0BV)


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