Sosaku Hanga - The sosaku hanga or creative print movement in Japan began in the early part of the twentieth century. Unlike the traditional collaborative woodblock printing process utilizing a separate artist, carver, and printer along with a publisher, the sosaku hanga movement emphasized artist involvement in designing, carving, and printing the blocks himself, as the sole creator of his work. The movement gained popularity following World War II, earning international acclaim and expanding subject matter to include abstraction. Today most contemporary Japanese print artists design, carve, and print their woodblocks themselves, continuing the vibrant creative tradition established with ukiyo-e. Sosaku hanga prints encompass a wide range of subjects and expressive artistic styles, and are a great choice for a collector interested in modern and contemporary prints.

Tasaburo Takahashi - Tasaburo Takahashi graduated from the Kyoto Technical School of Painting, but was already exhibiting woodblocks with Nihon Hanga Kyokai in 1935-1936. He also showed with the Teiten (Imperial Art Exhibition) and Kyoto Sosaku-Hanga Kyokai. After WWII, Takahashi and fellow artists Tokuriki and Tobei Kamei established the company Korokusha to publish their own sosaku hanga designs. Korokusha was a subsidiary of Tokuriki's publishing company Matsukyu. Takahashi's modern images feature interesting subjects rendered with lively calligraphic line work and expressive color. While Takahashi also did traditional shin-hanga designs for the publisher Kyoto Hanga-in, his sosaku hanga prints are much less often seen. His subjects include beauties, still-lifes, and landscapes. A nice choice for a collector interested in modern Japanese woodblocks.

Signed - Tasaburo Takahashi in pencil in bottom margin, Takahashi Tasaburo jizuri (self-printed) in kanji in light red ink on reverse at side

Artist - Tasaburo Takahashi (1904 - 1977)

Image Size - 18" x 8 7/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Slight toning and creasing, stains near top edge. Please see photos for details.