Back to gallery
Collection of Japanese Landscapes: Shimabara and Kujukushima, 1922

Art Appreciation

This serene woodblock print captures a tranquil coastal scene where small islands dot a calm sea under a vast sky filled with billowy clouds. The composition is beautifully balanced with three main island clusters: a tree-topped mound on the left foreground featuring a small torii gate, central islands gently illuminated in soft light, and further islands set against the horizon. The two figures in a small wooden boat create a narrative focus and sense of human scale amidst nature’s grandeur.

The rich but subtle color palette blends dreamy pastels—gentle blues, pinks, and greens—assigned masterfully to evoke a peaceful dusk or dawn atmosphere. The water almost mirrors the clouds and sky above in seamless reflection, adding depth and tranquility. This print exemplifies the shin-hanga movement's blend of traditional ukiyo-e techniques with modern sensibilities in design and light effects. Its meticulous craftsmanship invites viewers to linger, absorbing the quiet beauty and contemplative mood of this early 20th-century Japanese coastal landscape.

Collection of Japanese Landscapes: Shimabara and Kujukushima, 1922

Hasui Kawase

Category:

Created:

1922

Likes:

3

Dimensions:

4000 × 2960 px

Download:

Related artworks

Autumn Reflection on the Reed Marsh
Landscape near Essoyes 1892
On the Cliff, at Petit Ailly
Matamoe (Death), Landscape with Peacocks
A moonlit river landscape
Low Tide at Pourville, near Dieppe
The Gardens of the Old Tavern at Bayswater
View from under the portico of Temple of Edfou in upper Egyp
Schoolhouse at Oschwand 1945
Sunrise in the Catskills