Help us help those in need this holiday season! Artemis Gallery is donating 100% of the Buyer’s Premium from all lots sold in this auction to COMMUNITY FOOD SHARE. Each $1.00 donated = 3 meals!

Shiro Kasamatsu (Japanese, 1898-1991). "Snow Country" (Yukiguni) - a Shin Hanga Woodblock, ca. 1959. Edition 124/200 on verso. A wonderful shin-hanga woodblock print by Shiro Kasamatsu presenting a tranquil winter scene with a sole figure visible in the lit interior of a charming house with a snow-covered roof. The artist's square red seal is to the right of the artist's signature on the lower right. A remarkable romantic landscape presenting a peaceful yet evocative scene. Size of sight view: 14" L x 9.25" W (35.6 cm x 23.5 cm) Size of frame: 19.875" L x 14.625" W (50.5 cm x 37.1 cm)

Shin-hanga was an early 20th century Japanese art movement during the Taisho and Showa periods - flourishing between 1915 and 1942 - that revived traditional ukiyo-e subject matter of the Edo and Meiji periods. However, Shin-hanga compositions depart from ukiyo-e traditions by embracing the inclusion of natural light, a soft color palette, three dimensionality of the figure, as well as a sense of depth rather than flatness.

On the verso is a brief biography of Shiro Kasamatsu, "He had learned Japanese-style painting from Kiyotaka Kaburagi until he began to specialize wood block prints form 1919 on. His earlier works had something poetical and amusing, following the conventional technique of Ukiyoe style, in which three separate parts, picture painting, engraving, and hand printing, were operated by three independent specialists. Recently a remarkable progress has been made in his works by his new attempt to undertake all the three parts by himself. It has added his powerful touch of simplicity to his works, which have appeared to be more evaluated artistically. Landscape is his main subject, but there are quite a few of animals, depicted poetically. His contribution to the unification of the modern print and the current print is highly valued. The Red Lantern Shop / Miyako Hotel Arcade / Kyoto, Japan"

This print is listed on page 62 of the 2002 Shiro Kasamatsu catalogue.

Provenance: ex Washington, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166679

Woodblock has not been examined outside the frame, and the edition number may be written beneath the matte. "124/200" is handwritten on the verso of the gallery paper, indicating the number of this edition. In addition, there is an old gallery label from The Red Lantern Shop in Kyoto, Japan (see text in description). The artist's square red seal is to the right of the artist's signature on the lower right. Paper appears to have slight toning and a few minute stains commensurate with age.