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Artist: KAWASE HASUI (1883-1957)
One of the foremost artists of the shin-hanga (“new prints”) movement, Kawase Hasui is celebrated for his lyrical landscapes and masterful use of light and atmosphere. Born in Tokyo, he studied under Kaburagi Kiyokata and began designing prints for the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō around 1918. Deeply influenced by Western realism yet rooted in Japanese tradition, Hasui depicted temples, villages, and seasonal scenes across Japan with poetic serenity. His travel sketches inspired iconic series such as Souvenirs of Travel (Tabi miyage) and Collection of Scenic Views of Japan. Designated a Living National Treasure in 1956, he remains a defining figure of 20th-century woodblock printing, admired for his technical refinement and tranquil, melancholic mood. Hasui died in Tokyo in 1957.
