Shiro Kasamatsu - Born in Tokyo, Shiro began studying art at a young age with the painter Kaburagi Kiyokata. He completed his first woodblock designs for Watanabe Shozaburo in 1919 after the publisher saw his paintings on exhibit. Shiro designed shin-hanga prints for Watanabe for many years, becoming well known for his romantic landscapes of famous landmarks and his scenes of traditional Japanese life. From 1952 to 1960, he created more than one hundred woodblock designs for the Kyoto publisher Unsodo. He also experimented with sosaku hanga or creative prints starting in the late 1950s, carving and printing his own designs. Shiro is regarded as one of the top shin-hanga woodblock print artists in Japan.

Comments - Beautiful view of the Red Gate of Tokyo University in Hongo on a winter day. Figures make their way through the falling snow beneath umbrellas, one man just coming through the large wooden gate. The edges of the snow-covered trees and the rooftops are shaded in soft blue as evening falls. A beautiful shin-hanga snow scene by a rarely seen artist. A lifetime edition with 6 mm Watanabe seal.

Signed - Shiro, with red "Kasamatsu" seal
Publisher - Watanabe, with 6 mm circular seal at lower left

Artist - Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)

Image Size - 9 1/4" x 14 1/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with nice detail as shown. Drying hole at top corner. Tape remnant on reverse at top edge. A couple creases at edges. Please see photos for details.