Inland Sea
1952
Kawase Hasui captures the serene beauty of Japan's Seto Inland Sea in this tranquil woodblock print from 1952. Notice how the large, white sails of the traditional cargo boats dominate the composition, their reflections rippling gently in the calm blue water. Hasui was a master of the shin-hanga (new print) movement, which revitalized traditional ukiyo-e by incorporating Western lighting and perspective. He traveled over 30,000 miles across Japan just to sketch scenes like this, bringing a quiet, almost nostalgic atmosphere to a rapidly modernizing country. It's a peaceful snapshot of a traditional Japan that was disappearing even as he created it.
- Technique
- Woodblock print
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