Kawase hasui biography of martin

After his sister and her husband took over the business, Kawase was freed from the shackles of regular business life and decided to pursue his artistic ambitions. In his mids, he reached out to Nihonga legend Kiyokata Kaburagi in the hope of studying under his guidance.

Kawase hasui biography of martin: Born in Tokyo in

Kaburagi suggested Kawase study western art, which he did for a couple of years before returning to Kaburagi to perfect the form. Typically incorporating western elements most predominantly from European Impressionism into classical Japanese forms , these artists crafted a hybrid style which came to be known as shin hanga. Taking this relatively early Hasui Kawase print we can quite easily see the key elements that define the shin hanga form.

Here we have the delicate coloring of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, soft floral pinks and vibrant greens framing the rippling pond. Kawase drew inspiration from all the greats of ukiyo-e prints. In his professional artistic career, Hasui cut his teeth as a commercial artist. In fact, by the time the shin hanga movement was in full swing, ukiyo-e was considered within Japan to be a rather commercial creation rather than fine art although the foreign market still considered it as such.

This artistic ideology - and perhaps an acting out against a youth spent working in a business that he did not enjoy - sent Kawase on seemingly endless journeys across the nation throughout his lifetime. The following images are just a small snippet of the incredible landscapes he found himself in.