About This Print
This is a small-size print, approximately 3 1/2 x 3 in., which depicts the "Modan-dera" in Kobe. The comments that accompany one version of this print note: "A branch of the Honganji Temple, it has been commonly known as 'Modan-dera' since the completion of the inner temple in 1933. Theofficial name of the temple is 'Zempuku-ji'.Originally issued as part of the 1952-1953 series One Hundred Scenes of Kobe, it is unclear when this small format print was made. The website of the city of Kobe provides an introduction to the series, copied below, and images of all one hundred prints. Unfortunately, they do not list the size of the prints as originally issued.
The prints, originally created as woodblocks in 1952-1953, were re-issued as lithographs printed on Hosho paper in 1962 in a limited edition (1500 copies) book titled Hide Kawanaishi's "Kobe Hyakkei."
Hide Kawanaishi's "Kobe Hyakkei" (One Hundred Scenes of Kobe)
Modan-dera (Modern Temple)
photo by Takayuki Kita
The Series One Hundred Scenes of Kobe
Source: http://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/information/public/online/onehundred-scenes/index.html
"Hide Kawanishi (1894 - 1965), a renowned woodblock print artist from Kobe, produced series of work titled One Hundred Scenes of Kobe (Kobe Hyakkei) twice in his lifetime. The first time between 1933 - 1936 he depicted the bustling cityscapes and lives of prewar days of Kobe [in woodblock]. The second time, he produced poster color drawings of the changing city after the World War in the number of another one hundred in 1952 - 1953 [at the request of the newspaper Shinko shinbun]. Having revised or re-drawn one third of the latter, he published the Collection of Artwork - One Hundred Scenes of Kobe (Kobe Hyakkei) in 1962."
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1262 |
| Title | モダン寺 (modan-dera) |
| Series | 神戸百景 Kobe Hyakkei One Hundred Scenes of Kobe |
| Artist | Kawanishi Hide (1894-1965) |
| Signature | Hide (printed) |
| Seal |  |
| Date | originally 1952-1953 |
| Edition | unknown |
| Publisher | the artist - self-published |
| Printer | self-printed by artist |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - small paper imperfection lower right; slightly trimmed |
| Genre | sosaku hanga (creative print) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | |
| H x W Paper | 3 7/16 x 2 7/8 in. (8.7 x 7.3 cm) |
| H x W Image | same as paper size above |
| Collections This Print | |
| Reference Literature | |
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