Shiro - Born in Tokyo, Shiro Kasamatsu 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 - Striking view of a pine tree in dark silhouette against the falling rain at Kinokuni-saka or Kinokuni Slope. A woman and child under umbrellas are dwarfed beneath the majestic pine as they stroll along. The background is beautifully rendered in softly shaded grays, evoking the misty rain. The first time we've offered this atmospheric Shiro design.

Signed - Shiro, with red artist's seal
Publisher - Watanabe, 10 mm seal in black within image at lower left

Artist - Shiro Kasamatsu (1898 - 1991)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 3/8" + margins as shown

Condition - Excellent overall with no issues to report.