<b>LAKE KAWAGUCHI</b> / Kako (Shozaburo) Watanabe1937<B>SOLD</B></em>

Details

The print publisher, Shozaburo Watanabe, is credited with founding the shin hanga movement. Utilizing his woodblock print production studio that originally produced ukiyo-e restrikes, Watanabe discovered nearly all the artists that would create the iconic imagery of this important print movement, producing their tantalizing designs in his workshop. Watanabe’s keen eye for talent and his strong sense of commercially desirable images granted Watanabe success in this endeavor. During his tenure as publisher and patron, Watanabe also demonstrated his artistic eye in producing original designs of his conception.

Lake Kawaguchi (1937), is one of two designs Watanabe produced under the artist name Kako Watanabe. This stunning print illustrates Mt. Fuji towering over nearby Kawaguchi Lake. The sacred mountain is rendered in the iconic silhouette with an astonishing realistic atmospheric quality throughout the composition. The lake’s active surface populates the foreground with a myriad of waves traveling to and from the Fuji. Though the draftsmanship is striking, Watanabe designed a work that would feature the talent of his master woodblock carvers and printers, who were all too well apt at producing these awe-inspiring effects.

Connoisseur's Note

This exceptional impression bears the Watanabe C-type seal, signifying the work is a true first state. This print has never been framed, exhibiting colors as fresh as the day they were printed. Later impressions, particularly post-war impressions, bear a darker coloration to disguise the wear of the printing blocks. This very early impression showcases a lighter, more subtle printing with striking bokashi and barren work throughout the composition. The colors and impression of this design are a time capsule—collectors, take note, this is how this design should look!