{"title":"Sōsaku-hanga","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eSōsaku-hanga\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e (\"creative prints\") was a radical early 20th-century art movement that discarded traditional workshops to establish the artist as the sole creator of a woodblock print. The style was governed by three strict principles: self-drawn (jiga\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e), self-carved (jikoku\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e), and self-printed (jizuri\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e)\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e. Because a single individual handled every step, the resulting aesthetic was heavily individualized, raw, and spontaneous rather than commercially polished\u003c!--TgQPHd|||[]--\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dancing-figure-kaoru-kawano","title":"Dancing Figure - Kaoru Kawano","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kaoru Kawano (1916–1965)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dancing Figure (Camellia), also known as \u003cem\u003eCamellia Festival (Tsubaki Matsuri)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e c. 1950s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Genuine Japanese color woodblock print\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vertical format\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaper Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approximately 16.5 × 11.25 inches\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis genuine Japanese color woodblock print is Kaoru Kawano’s \u003cem\u003eDancing Figure (Camellia)\u003c\/em\u003e, also known as \u003cem\u003eCamellia Festival\u003c\/em\u003e. The design dates to approximately the 1950s and is a characteristic example of Kawano’s distinctive approach to the postwar Japanese \u003cem\u003esōsaku-hanga\u003c\/em\u003e movement. Catalogued impressions identify the subject as a dancing woman in a yellow kimono with a red camellia in her hair. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDancing Figure (Camellia)\u003c\/em\u003e depicts an elegantly stylized woman caught in a graceful turning pose. Her brilliant yellow kimono forms a sweeping curve against the deep green-black background, while a partially opened fan appears behind her. A single vivid red camellia accents her elaborate hair. Kawano reduces the woman's face to a few delicate features, allowing the strong silhouette, textured wood grain, and contrasting blocks of color to carry the composition. The result feels distinctly modern while retaining the elegance and restraint of traditional Japanese figure prints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscriptions \u0026amp; Marks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eDancing Figure (Camellia)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAlternate Title:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eCamellia Festival (Tsubaki Matsuri)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kaoru Kawano (河野薫)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtist Seal:\u003c\/strong\u003e Red Kawano seal within the image at lower right\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Circular watermark\/impressed paper mark visible in the lower margin on verso. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesign Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e c. 1950s\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Color woodblock print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kawano was known for self-carved and self-printed impressions of this design; signed limited-edition examples are documented in editions of 300. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good. Full margins with light overall toning consistent with age. Colors remain strong, particularly the rich yellow of the kimono, red camellia, and deep green background. The sheet retains attractive deckled edges. Tape marks on top verso. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Artist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kaoru Kawano (1916–1965) was an important Japanese printmaker associated with the \u003cem\u003esōsaku-hanga\u003c\/em\u003e, or “creative print,” movement. Born in Hokkaido, Kawano studied at the Kawabata Art School and developed an immediately recognizable style built around simplified forms, expressive wood grain, bold areas of color, and quiet, introspective figures. Unlike the collaborative system traditionally used for ukiyo-e and much \u003cem\u003eshin-hanga\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003esōsaku-hanga\u003c\/em\u003e artists emphasized the artist’s direct involvement in designing, carving, and printing their own works. Kawano became internationally known after World War II, particularly for his images of children, women, birds, and animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Print:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eDancing Figure (Camellia)\u003c\/em\u003e is an especially strong example of Kawano’s combination of traditional Japanese subject matter with mid-century modern design. The woman's kimono, fan, floral hair ornament, and dance pose recall traditional \u003cem\u003ebijin-ga\u003c\/em\u003e, yet Kawano treats the figure almost as an abstract arrangement of shapes. The dramatic yellow silhouette against the dark field and the visible texture of the woodblock give the print the graphic simplicity associated with his mature work. Documented lifetime impressions were self-carved and self-printed, with some issued as pencil-signed and numbered editions of 300; posthumous impressions of the design are also known.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63088715104627,"sku":null,"price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/3549\/2211\/files\/YGP00264.jpg?v=1784157373"},{"product_id":"tree-at-evening-red-joichi-hoshi","title":"Tree at Evening (Red) - Joichi Hoshi","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Joichi Hoshi (1913–1979)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTree at Evening (Red)\u003c\/em\u003e \/ \u003cem\u003eEvening Tree (Red)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original color woodblock print\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original signed impression\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1970s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pencil signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Joichi Hoshi”\u003c\/strong\u003e lower right\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscription:\u003c\/strong\u003e Japanese title inscribed in pencil lower left\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist’s Seal:\u003c\/strong\u003e Printed seal within image, lower right\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small-format print — 9 X 6.5 in\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Japanese woodblock print by Joichi Hoshi\u003c\/strong\u003e depicts a solitary tree illuminated against a richly textured golden background. Hoshi’s characteristic layering of gold, ochre, crimson, and dark brown gives the image an almost luminous quality, transforming the simple tree into a monumental and contemplative presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe print is \u003cstrong\u003ehand-signed in pencil by Joichi Hoshi at lower right\u003c\/strong\u003e, with the Japanese title inscribed in pencil at lower left and Hoshi’s seal incorporated into the image. This is an original lifetime impression, not a reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoshi became particularly celebrated for his highly individual images of trees during the final decade of his career. Rather than treating them simply as landscape subjects, he isolated individual trees against expanses of metallic color, emphasizing their structure, age, and personality. His sophisticated use of overprinting and metallic pigments gives these works a distinctive surface that can change dramatically depending on the light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis smaller-format example has much of the visual character of Hoshi’s larger tree prints in a particularly intimate scale. The warm gold ground and deep reddish foliage create a striking autumnal effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscriptions \u0026amp; Marks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePencil signed \u003cstrong\u003eJoichi Hoshi\u003c\/strong\u003e lower right\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJapanese title inscribed in pencil lower left\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoshi artist seal within the image at lower right\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal color woodblock print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLifetime impression\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eGood. The sheet shows light toning consistent with age, with some discoloration\/matting around the image area and margins. There is a visible crease or handling mark within the right side of the image and minor surface wear. Colors remain rich, with strong metallic gold and deep red and brown tones. Please review all photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Artist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Joichi Hoshi (1913–1979) was one of the important Japanese woodblock artists of the postwar period. After studying at the Tokyo University of the Arts, Hoshi developed an immediately recognizable printmaking style characterized by dense textures, metallic pigments, and carefully layered color. Although he worked with a variety of subjects, he is best known for the solitary trees that dominated his work during the 1970s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHoshi's tree prints are among his most sought-after works. Their combination of traditional Japanese woodblock technique with a distinctly modern, almost abstract approach to color and texture has made his work popular with collectors of both \u003cstrong\u003esōsaku-hanga and postwar Japanese printmaking\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthenticity:\u003c\/strong\u003e This is an \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal Joichi Hoshi woodblock print, pencil signed by the artist\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than a later reproduction or photomechanical print. The visible woodgrain, layered printing, metallic ground, pencil signature and artist’s seal are consistent with Hoshi’s original printed works.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63938888139123,"sku":null,"price":1100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/3549\/2211\/files\/YGP00322.jpg?v=1786234309"},{"product_id":"house-at-okutama-shiro-kasamatsu","title":"House at Okutama - Shiro Kasamatsu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Shiro Kasamatsu (1898–1991)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eHouse at Okutama\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOkutama no Ie\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, 奥多摩の家)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1955\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original color woodblock print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnsodo (芸艸堂), Kyoto\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEdition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLifetime impression\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignature:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Block-signed Shiro within the image\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eUnsodo publisher seal and carver\/printer seals in the left margin\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 16 X 10.75 in\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal lifetime woodblock print by Shiro Kasamatsu\u003c\/strong\u003e depicts a traditional rural house in Okutama, the mountainous region west of Tokyo. Kasamatsu builds the composition around the heavy tiled roofs and stone retaining wall, with autumn foliage providing restrained flashes of yellow and red against the atmospheric gray mountains beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Japanese title \u003cstrong\u003eOkutama no Ie (奥多摩の家), “House in Okutama,”\u003c\/strong\u003e appears in the upper left margin. This impression belongs to Kasamatsu’s postwar period, when he increasingly produced and published his own woodblock prints rather than working through the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKasamatsu’s handling of the distant mountains is particularly effective here. Rather than outlining the landscape sharply, he uses a dense, textured gray field that gives the background the appearance of mist or low cloud, while the architectural details of the house remain crisp and graphic in the foreground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscriptions \u0026amp; Marks:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJapanese title \u003cstrong\u003e奥多摩の家 (Okutama no Ie)\u003c\/strong\u003e in the upper left margin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist signature within the image\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtist\/publisher seals in the left margin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal Japanese color woodblock print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very good overall. The sheet retains full margins with visible deckled edges. Minor toning, handling wear and small areas of discoloration are consistent with age. Colors remain attractive, including strong yellow, red, gray and earthy brown tones. Please review all photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Artist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shiro Kasamatsu (1898–1991) was an important 20th-century Japanese printmaker associated with both the \u003cstrong\u003eshin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga movements\u003c\/strong\u003e. He initially worked with the influential publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, producing atmospheric landscapes in the shin-hanga tradition. Beginning in the 1950s, Kasamatsu increasingly carved, printed and published his own works, giving him greater control over the entire printmaking process.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63938899149171,"sku":null,"price":900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/3549\/2211\/files\/YGP00318.jpg?v=1786234647"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/3549\/2211\/collections\/YGP00264.jpg?v=1786132332","url":"https:\/\/blueskyprintshop.com\/collections\/sosaku-hanga.oembed","provider":"Blue Sky Print Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}