Toyohama, Kagawa Pref. (aka: Carp banner, Toyohama, Kagwa Prefecture) by Kawase Hasui

Toyohama, Kagawa Pref. (aka: Carp banner, Toyohama, Kagwa Prefecture) by Kawase Hasui

Toyohama, Kagawa Pref. (aka: Carp banner, Toyohama, Kagwa Prefecture)

Kawase Hasui

Title

Toyohama, Kagawa Pref. (aka: Carp banner, Toyohama, Kagwa Prefecture)

 
Artist

Kawase Hasui

  1883 - 1957 (biography)
Year
1948  
Technique
color woodcut 
Image Size
14-7/16 9-9/16" image 
Signature
"Hasui" signature with "Kawase" red seal, lower left; pencil, lower right margin. 
Edition Size
not stated 
Annotations
Watanabi seal in lower right corner; titled in pencil 
Reference
Hotei 508 (illus. page 549) 
Paper
antique-white laid Japanese 
State
published 
Publisher
Watanabe Shozaburo (seal A), lower right. 
Inventory ID
18611 
Price
SOLD
Description

Hasui chooses to represent a part of Japan that is rarely depicted in color woodcuts of the time: a somewhat poorer section of the Kagawa prefecture, where the walls of houses are chipped away at by time. This does not detract from the beauty of the scene, in which the symbolic fish is shown in a place of prominence and joy, and the blue sky, dotted with soft white clouds, is reflected in a small stone drainage ditch between the houses and street.

The Hotoi catalogue raisonne naotes:"Koiobori (carp banners) are today flown on 'Children's Day' (May 5), but when this custom originated in the mid Tokugawa period (1600 - 1868) it was known as the Boy's festival (tango no sekku). On this day carp banners were displayed outside one's home and samurai dolls displayed inside. Both were symbols of strength, powerand success."