Back to gallery
Snow at Mukojima

Art Appreciation

A serene winter scene unfolds in this captivating print where a gentle snow blankets quiet boats and a riverside village. The composition leads your eye along the water's edge, where wooden boats rest heavily under a thick layer of snow, their forms softened and rounded by the white frost. In the center, a solitary figure rows a boat through calm, icy waters, creating a subtle ripple that contrasts with the stillness around. The artist's masterful use of delicate dotting mimics falling snowflakes, infusing the scene with a chilling, yet poetic atmosphere. The palette is dominated by cool blues and muted browns, punctuated by the warm glow of light spilling from the windows and the soft yellow of a round object on one boat. This balance of color enhances the quiet intimacy of a winter evening, inviting viewers to sense the brisk air and the muffled sounds of snowfall.

The print is a splendid example of the shin-hanga tradition, blending western realism and Japanese ukiyo-e style. The delicate gradations and detailed textures lend a lifelike quality while preserving an impressionistic softness. Against the historical backdrop of 1930s Japan, this art reflects a nostalgic reverence for nature's tranquil beauty amid rapid modernization. The emotional impact is quietly powerful—one can almost feel the solitude and peaceful isolation of winter life along the river, where time seems paused beneath the snow's gentle embrace.

Snow at Mukojima

Hasui Kawase

Category:

Created:

1931

Likes:

0

Dimensions:

4458 × 6240 px

Download:

Related artworks

Beppu Evening (Travel Notes III)
Landscape of Japan: Karatsu (Former Rice Storehouse) 1922
The Clock Tower of Okayama 1947
View of Onsen-ga-take from Amakusa
Wisteria at Kameido, 1932
Travel Notes III (Souvenir from Beppu) 1928
Travel Diary II: Port of Ogi, Sado Island
Sanpōji Pond (Shakujii) 1930
View of the Garden from the Western-style Mansion
Snowy Evening at Ishinomaki
Travel Notes II (Second Collection of Travel Souvenirs) Kasuga Shrine, Nara, 1921
Izumo Yasugi Kiyomizu-dera
Rain at Shinobazu Pond
Travel Notes III: Starry Night (Miyajima) 1928
Travel Notes II (Souvenirs of Travel, Second Edition) Snow on a Sunny Day at Miyajima