Snow at Godaido, Matsushima, 1954

by Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)

Current Status

Snow at Godaido, Matsushima, 1954 by Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)

Original Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991) Japanese Woodblock Print
Snow at Godaido, Matsushima, 1954

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 - Charming winter view of Godaido Temple on one of the islands in Matsushima, a group of hundreds of small islands dotted with pine trees. The temple and the surrounding pine trees are blanketed with snow, as are the small boats along the shore in the foreground. The sky is flooded with a rosy violet light as the sun begins to set, the clouds illuminated with orange and the distant islands silhouetted along the horizon. An intriguing design with fine bokashi shading.

Signed - Shiro, with red "Shiro" artist's seal within image
Publisher - Unsodo, with publisher's seal in left margin, later edition from original blocks

Artist - Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 1/2" + margins as shown

Condition - Excellent overall with no issues to report.

Snow at Godaido, Matsushima, 1954 by Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)
Snow at Godaido, Matsushima, 1954 by Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)