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Edutainment > Articles on Art > Shin Hanga > Visions of Japan - Kawase Hasui's Masterpieces

hasui kawase

Visions of Japan
copyright KIT Publishers

Kawase Hasui?s Masterpieces

After the publication of the two reference volumes (catalog raisonnée) of the complete woodblock prints by Hasui Kawase, Kit Publishers/ Hotei Publishing released a kind of shortened version with Hasui's 100 major works displayed in large-full page images. The book will appeal to those who like Hasui's print works and want to enjoy the most popular ones in large images, but do not need the complete reference book.

Visions of Japan contains an introduction to the shin hanga movement and an article about Hasui Kawase. Both articles are reedited versions of those published with the reference volumes. Both articles are informative and easy to read at the same time. Each of the 100 depicted images has the same description at the end of the book that was used for the catalog raisonnée. They are real treasure chests full of information that would normally be hard to find. Much of it is based on the research of the Hasui scholar and expert Narazaki.

This is a well done, very recommendable mixture of an illustrated picture book and an informative text book on Hasui Kawase and the shin hanga movement. And last but not least it is available for a fraction of the price of the catalog raisonnée. And if you do not have the catalog and are sure you do not need it, the Visions of Japan book is ideal for you.

The following is the original text of the announcement by KIT Publishers/Hotei Publishing.

Visions of Japan

This publication contains a selection of one hundred masterpieces by Kawase Hasui (1883-1957), one of the most important Japanese landscape artists of the 20th century. Large full colour illustrations show the enormous variety of snow, moon and rain scenes for which Hasui became famous. Introduction to Kawase Hasui by Kendall H. Brown. (See also our publication "Kawase Hasui. The complete woodblock prints", 2 vols. in slipcase, 2003).

Kawase Hasui is considered one of the most important Japanese landscape artists of the 20th century. His prints, produced under the guidance and stern eye of his publisher, Watanabe Shozaburo, are the modern continuation of the unforgettable works by Hiroshige and Hokusai, the 19th-century masters of this genre. As none other, he could evoke Japan of the eventful interwar period.

Hasui's work enjoyed huge popularity from his very first print of 1918. In contrast to his illustrious 19th-century predecessors, his work was immediately successful in the rest of the world. His publisher recognised the enormous potential of the American market, which resulted in Hasui?s prints fetching high prices at auctions in New York as early as the 1920s. After the Second World War, his prints were highly desired and sought after collectible items among the American occupying forces in Japan. Hasui?s work has always been greatly appreciated in Japan: He was acknowledged as a ?Living National Treasure? in 1956.

The Book

ISBN 9074822681
2004
English
Paperback 144 pp.
100 full colour illustrations, with short artist biographies, glossary and index
Euro 29.95

The Publishers

KIT Publishers/Hotei Publishing
Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
P.O. Box 95001
1090 HA Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Phone +31 (0)20 568 8330
Fax +31 (0)20 568 8286
E-mail e.rasmussen@kit.nl
Website www.kit.nl/publishers
www.hotei-publishing.com

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