KAWASE HASUI, The Pond of Benten Shrine in Shiba, 1929

Example with excellent colors, printed on Japanese paper between 1960 and 1980. In perfect condition, with excellent margins all around beyond the marginal line. Well-executed bokashi shading throughout the print and slight gauffrage on the lotus leaves and women on the catwalk.
The lower margin bears the title Shiba Benten ike, or The Pond of the Benten Shrine in Shiba, and the inscription Shōwa yonen hachigatsu saku, meaning executed in August of the fourth year of the Shōwa era, or August 1929.
Originally published by Kawaguchi & Sakai (1929-1930), this edition was published by Shobisha, which purchased the woodblocks from Kawaguchi & Sakai around 1950.

Bibliography
K.H. Brown, Kawase Hasui. The Complete Woodblock Prints, 2003, n. 186
K.H. Brown, Visions Of Japan: Kawase Hasui’s Masterpieces, Hotei, 2004, p. 64

Kawase Hasui (Tokyo 1883-1957) was one of the most famous Japanese artists of the (“new prints”), which flourished in the early decades of the 20th century. This movement aimed to renew the tradition of ukiyo-e prints by combining classical techniques with modern sensibilities and Western influences.
Born in Tokyo, Hasui initially studied traditional Japanese painting (Nihonga) under the guidance of Kaburagi Kiyokata, who then encouraged him to focus on prints. In 1918, he began collaborating with the famous publisher Shōzaburō Watanabe, a pioneer of the Shin-hanga movement. This collaboration was crucial: under Watanabe's direction, Hasui created hundreds of prints that became famous for their extraordinary atmosphere and technical refinement.
Hasui is especially known for his poetic landscape views. His prints depict temples, gardens, cities, and Japanese countryside, often enveloped in twilight, rain, or snow. His masterful use of light and shadow and a melancholic sensibility distinguish his work.
While drawing inspiration from ukiyo-e masters like Hiroshige, Hasui introduces Western elements, such as linear perspective and a more pronounced realism in landscapes.
In 1956, a year before his death, Kawase Hasui was designated Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, a recognition reserved for artists considered essential for the preservation of traditional Japanese arts.
His works are now held in major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Hasui's prints continue to influence artists and fascinate collectors for their ability to evoke a nostalgic and timeless Japan.