Self-Portrait at Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto 1933

Hasui Kawase's woodblock print, "Self-Portrait at Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto," invites us into a tranquil, moonlit world. The layering of blues, from the deep indigo sky to the subtly textured wooden planks, evokes a sense of calm and introspection, almost like a visual poem. I love how the artist captures the scene. You can feel the cool night air and the stillness of the temple grounds. The solitary figure, presumably Kawase himself, is rendered with soft outlines which blend into the background. Look closely at the shadows cast by the railing; they create a rhythmic pattern, mirroring the structure of the temple itself. It’s this kind of close attention to detail, alongside the masterful use of color, that sets this print apart. Kawase's contemporary was Hiroshi Yoshida who, like Kawase, was a leading figure in the Shin-Hanga movement. Both artists shared a commitment to depicting landscapes with a modern sensibility, yet their approaches differed. Where Yoshida often favored dramatic compositions and bold colors, Kawase's work is characterized by a quiet lyricism and subtle tonalities. Both artists embraced the beauty of imperfection and the ever-changing nature of the world around them.