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Evening at Sōemon-chō, Osaka from the series Collection of Scenic Views of Japan II, Kansai edition

 

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Evening at Sōemon-chō, Osaka

from the series

Collection of Scenic Views of Japan II, Kansai edition

by Kawase Hasui, originally 1933


IHL Cat. #558

About This Print

Catalogue Raisonné Entry

Source: Kawase Hasui; TheComplete Woodblock Prints, Kendall Brown, Amy Reigle Newland, Amsterdam, Hotei Publishing, KITPublishers, 2003, p. 98.
According to Narazaki1, "Following WWII, the row of houses in the Sōemon district changed so much that the atmosphere and richness in sentiment as seen in this picture has long disappeared.  The image recalls the jōruri (narrative musical form accompanied by the shamisen) of the playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1724): paper lanterns hang under the eaves, burning quietly at dusk, the shadows of the lights cast by wickets upon the street make the surrounding darkness more profound.  The composition of the row houses, the couple walking together, two kamuro (attendants to a courtesan) and the shadow of the figure in the distance are exceptional.  The block-cutting was done by Watanabe Tadasu."

1 Narazaki Muneshige, Hasui's biographer and compiler of the artist's first catalogue raisoneeé Kawase Hasui mokuhanga shuMainichi Shinbun, Tokyo, 1979. 

 
Sōemon-chō, Osaka today
 
Catalogue Raisonné
image and entry
  318 Evening at Sōemon-chō, Osaka
Series: Collection of scenic views of Japan II, Kansai edition
(Nihon fū
kei shū II Kansai hen Ōsaka Sōemon-chō no yū)
  Work of April 1933
Hasui signature with Kawase Seal
Block-cutter: Watanabe Tadasu (unnamed on print)
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo (Seal D)

Catalogue Entry from The Toledo Art Museum Show 1936

Source: Modern Japanese Prints, Dorothy Blair, TheToledo Art Museum 1997 (Printed from a photographic reproduction of twoexhibition catalogues of modern Japanese prints published by The ToledoMuseum of Art in 1930 and 1936)
EVENING, SOEMON STREET, OSAKA (Osaka Soemon-cho no Yube)
Night scene in a tea-house district.  14 3/8” x 9 1/2”.  Signed, Hasui; redseal, decorative form only.  Lower margin: the Japanese title; and thedate, “Showa Hachi Nen Shi Gatsu Saku” (Made in the 4th Month of the8th Year of Showa [April 1933]).  Two characters following the date are not included in the above reading.  Right margin: copyright stamp of thepublisher, Watanabe of Tokyo.  Blocks 20; superimposed printings, 25;edition, 200.

Print Details

 IHL Catalog #558
 Title Evening at Sōemon-chō, Osaka
 大坂宗右衛門町の夕 Ōsaka Sōemon-chō no yū
 Series Collection of Scenic Views of Japan II, Kansai edition
 日本風景集 関西篇 Nihon fūkei shū II Kansai hen
 Artist
 Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
 Signature
Hasui 巴水
 Seal Kawase seal (see above)
 Publication Date April 1933 (original publication)
 Edition Later edition with publishers 6mm round, seal "A"-type, lower left corner. (For a full discussion of Watanabe publisher sealssee "Watanabe Publisher Marks, Seals and Editions")
 Publisher
Watanabe Shōzaburō
Watanabe "A"-type seal (in use from approximately 1918-1924 and 1945-1957)
reading (in Katakana): 
ワタナベ Watanabe Shōzaburō
 Carver Watanabe Tadasu 渡辺格
 Impression excellent
 Colors excellent
 Condition good - slight toning and small tear bottom margin 1/2" into print repaired from back
 Miscellaneous  "Evening at Soemon-cho Osaka" and "Hasui Kawase" are written in pencil in English script in the lower right-hand margin.  This was typically done by an employee of Watanabe Publishing and not by the artist.
 Genre shin hanga (new prints); fûkei-ga
 Format ōban tate-e
 H x W Paper 15 3/4 x 10 5/8 in. (40.0 x 27.0 cm)
 H x W Image 14 3/8 x 9 1/2 x in. (36.5 x 24.1 cm)
 Collections This Print Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 50.2483 (6mm seal lower left corner); Jordon Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon MWJ51:K17 (Type E seal, lower right margin)
 Reference Literature CatalogueRaisonné: Kawase Hasui; TheComplete Woodblock Prints, Kendall Brown, Amy Reigle Newland, Hotei Publishing, KITPublishers, 2003, p. 98, pl. 318.
last revision:
8/19/2021