Back to gallery
Mountain Temple in Yamagata, 1941

Art Appreciation

This evocative woodblock print showcases a quiet, moonlit scene of a traditional Japanese mountain temple, delicately balanced between rocky outcrops. The sharp, clean lines of the temple’s structure contrast with the organic forms of the surrounding rocks and trees, creating a harmonious interplay between man-made and natural elements. The composition skillfully leads the eye through the stone steps in the foreground to the elevated veranda, inviting the viewer into the serene space while the distant, mist-enshrouded mountains provide a tranquil backdrop.

The color palette is muted, dominated by soft shades of blue and gray that beautifully capture the gentle light of the full moon. These cool tones enhance the quietude and contemplative mood of the scene, evoking a sense of peaceful solitude and reverence for nature. The artist's subtle use of texture in the roof tiles and rocks enriches the visual depth, while the clear, round moon hangs serenely above, symbolizing calm and enlightenment. This work exemplifies the shin-hanga movement's modern revival of traditional ukiyo-e techniques, blending detailed realism with poetic atmosphere in a moment frozen in time.

Mountain Temple in Yamagata, 1941

Hasui Kawase

Category:

Created:

1941

Likes:

0

Dimensions:

2054 × 3092 px

Download:

Related artworks

Moon over Miyagi Prefecture
Sanuki Toyohama 1930
Ueno Park, Tokyo, 1952
Kasuga's Golden Kintai Bridge 1947
Modern Viewpoint, Pyongyang, Korea
Tokyo Twenty Views: Shin-Ohashi Bridge 1926
Japanese Landscape Collection: Hizen Kyōhaku 1922
Travel Notes I (First Collection of Travel Souvenirs) Kanazawa Asanogawa 1920
Cherry Blossoms at Shirakawa Castle Ruins 1946
Evening Snow on the Edogawa River
Izu Ito Shogetsuin 1933
Under the Fields of Shiobara
Twelve Views of Tokyo: Night at Shinkawa
Travel Diary II: Morning at Doutonbori, Osaka
Travel Notes II (Souvenirs of Travel, Second Edition) Snow on a Sunny Day at Miyajima
Tokyo Twelve Views: Snowy White Beard