Toyama Plain

Maker(s)
Artist: Kawase Hasui 川瀬巴水 (1883-1957)
Historical period(s)
Showa era, 1937/12
Medium
Watercolor on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 37 x 26.5 cm (14 9/16 x 10 7/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Robert O. Muller Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S2003.8.533
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Painting
Type

Watercolor

Keywords
Japan, landscape, Robert O. Muller collection, Showa era (1926 - 1989)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Marking(s)

"Kawase" seal

Label

Years after the original Toyama Plain was published in 1920, Hasui created this watercolor, possibly for a client who had requested paintings based on the artist's sketches. While Hasui's watercolors have sometimes been misunderstood as design plans that preceded the production of a print, in actuality most were generated after the fact. Hasui described himself as "a printmaker, pure and simple." He once commented about the joy of printmaking: "[I]n painting, you might lose focus while playing with lines and coloring, but print comes to life at once, and the joy of that moment is of unsurpassable heaven for printmakers." 

Published References
  • James T. Ulak. "よみがえる浮世絵 : うるわしき大正新版画展." Beautiful Shin-Hanga: Revitalization of Ukiyo-e. Exh. cat. Tokyo, 2009. cat. 4-71, p. 188.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
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