Kohan no Ame, Natsue (Rain Falls on the Lake-shore, Matsue), 1932
Hasui Kawase (1883-1957) was born with the given name Bunjiro in Tokyo as the son of a merchant family. At a young age he learned to paint in the Western style from Saburosuke Okada who taught him watercolor and oil painting. At 26 Kawase tried to be accepted as a student by Kiyokata Kaburagi, a painter in traditional Japanese style but was rejected because it was felt he was too old. Two years later, after trying again he was finally accepted. Kiyokata soon recognized the talents of his student and introduced him to Watanabe Shozaburo, the publisher who he kept a tight lifelong relationship and cooperation with.
Watanabe was the initiator and driving commercial force of the Shin Hanga movement, which occurred when traditional ukiyo-e printmaking was fading out. At this time Watanabe got a handful of starving artists commissions for prints. His intention was to target these prints at art lovers, rather than being for the general public as ukiyo-e had been.
Kawase Hasui produced more than 400 woodblock designs for Watanabe until his death in 1957, many exported to the United States. Unfortunately, on September 1, 1923, Japan was hit by one of the worst earthquakes in history during which Watanabe's print shop was destroyed by a fire, and with it all of Kawase's print blocks he had made up to that point.
Ishinomaki Basetsu (Evening Snow at Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture), 1935
Kawase was known for his landscape prints, most famous are his night scene prints and the designs showing snow fall or rain. The source of the design was sketched at the actual location, in order to catch the scenic views as accurately as possible in the moment. He would then add color to the sketches back in his room.
Later he would return to Tokyo and make the print off of his sketches. Much like Hasusai, he was interested in capturing changing seasons, and the affect that had on the viewer. The landscape’s often lack people, or if they are included, he makes them insignificant in the design. Shortly before his death, his art was declared a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government.