Japanese Woodblock Print, 1999, published by Unsodo

SIZE IN INCHES: 7 x 15.25 inches

FUSHIMI INARI Is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794. The highlight of the shrine is the rows of torii gates, known as Senbon Torii. The custom to donate a torii began spreading from the Edo period (1603–1868) to have a wish come true or in gratitude for a wish that came true. Along the main path there are around 1,000 torii gates.

TERUHIDE KATO (1936-2015) was formerly one of Japan's leading kimono designers. He closed down his atelier in 1987 and turned to a dream he had kept alive since his student days at Kyoto Art College. This passion was to take up the tradition of the woodblock print and capture scenes from his beloved Kyoto. A catalog of his work "Kyoto Romance" was released in 1991 following his international debut in New York. His images recall the classic woodblock prints of the 19th century. However, his style is clean and current bringing to mind the best of contemporary Japanese design.

Kato's images are done in the traditional woodblock print manner. Each color is laid down with a separate wood block in a time consuming and exacting process. In many of Kato's subjects, the artist has added a significant amount of hand painting. Look for the added hand details on the surface of the prints. This combination of media adds to the striking contemporary feel of these pieces.

Fine, no flaws