Hasui: Street scene on a rainy day
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Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)

A street scene on a rainy day, in front of a gatehouse of Okayama Castle, Kyûshû. Two women under their umbrellas are approaching the gate, a man in a rain cape is standing in front of the gate.

Title: Okayama Uchiyamashita (Uchisange) (Uchiyamashita/Uchisange, Okayama)

Series: Nihon fûkei senshû (Selection of Scenes of Japan)

Signature: Hasui. Seal: Kawase (o. Sui)

Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô, Tokyo (Hanmoto Watanabe Hangaten, Seal Hotei C)

Date: Taishô 12 (1923)

Size: Vertical Aiban, 28,3 x 20,5 cm (image)

Fine impression and colours. A rather early impression (c. 1927-32), rare with this publisher's seal. Inscribed by hand in pencil in bottom margin. Verso in bottom margin stamped number "342". Verso in top margin corners two small faint traces of previous attachment. Excellent and crisp condition of this beautiful rain image, the keyblock of which, carved in 1923, miraculously survived the great Kantô earthquake. The final print was to be printed only later. The locality name can be read both Uchiyamashita and Uchisange (the latter being more common).

Hotei no. 112 (Narazaki 112). Blair, Toledo Cat. 1930, no. 108. More details and illustrations for this image in Kendall H. Brown, Water and Shadow, Richmont VA/Leiden 2014, p. 14f and p. 172, Cat. No. III.6b and c (the latter from the Balcer Collection, contrary to the note in the catalogue text with the same publisher's seal as here).
Cf. also MFA, No. 38.690 a.o.; Honolulu Museum of Art, No. 11789; Tokyo Museum Coll. (Edo-Tokyo-Museum), No. 94203241; British Museum No. 1946,0209,0.71 (not ill.); Smithsonian (Freer/Sackler) No. S2003.8.653; Art Institute of Chicago, No. 1990.607.640

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