Evening at Shinagawa by Hiroaki Takahashi

Evening at Shinagawa by Hiroaki Takahashi

Evening at Shinagawa

Hiroaki Takahashi

Please call us at 707-546-7352 or email artannex@aol.com to purchase this item.
Title

Evening at Shinagawa

 
Artist
Year
1936  
Technique
color woodcut 
Image Size
14 1/2 x 6 9/16" image 
Signature
artist's red seal in lower left image 
Edition Size
open 
Annotations
 
Reference
Shotei cat. no. K8, 1936 Watanabe Cat. no. 206 
Paper
ivory laid Japanese 
State
published 
Publisher
Watanabe 
Inventory ID
20960 
Price
$500.00 
Description

Hiroaki Takahashi (also known as Shotei) (1871–1945) was a 20th-century Japanese woodblock artist in the shin-hanga printmaking movement.

A nostalgic scene of traveling musicians going through a town at sunset, with a crescent moon overhead. The familiar sense of a warm, clear night suggests that this takes place in the summer, when windows are left open to let in the soft night air. “Shinagawa” has a few regional meanings in Japan; in this case, it likely refers to Shinagawa Station, which includes various ports in the business district along the Tokaido road. An important merchant route, many families and inns opened their doors to travelers as they made their way along the road, including to traveling entertainers.

Interestingly, among the entertainers who traveled most frequently on the route were the Goze, women musicians who were blind or partially blind and trained in playing instruments and singing. Formed under the auspices of various protective organizations, it was a chance to allow women who might otherwise be cast aside to be allowed independence and income. They would travel the Tokaido route from village to village, singing for those who lived in each region. Perhaps this is one such scene.

 
Please call us at 707-546-7352 or email artannex@aol.com to purchase this item.