Japanese Woodblock Print, 1979, numbered 9/15 published posthumously

SIZE IN INCHES: 12 x 13.5 inches inches

COMMENTS: From a special limited edition of Hide Kawanishi Collection of Prints I

KAWANISHI HIDE (1894-1965) was a 20th century printmaker associated with the Sosaku Hanga movement. His work is known for its bold color and soft lines–an effect he achieved by softening carved edges with chisel. Born in Kobe, Kawanishi was a self-taught artist, exploring both printmaking and painting. His passion for woodblock printmaking was sparked by the prints of Sosaku Hanga artist Kanae Tamamoto. The artist stated that he also found inspiration in the work of Koshiro Onchi, as well as Western artist such as Lautrec, Gaugin, and Van Gogh. Kawanishi exhibited with the Creative Print Association in 1923 and the Kokugakai in 1932. He became a member of the Creative Print Association in 1932 and Kokugakai in 1935. He actively published his prints in Sosaku Hanga publications and collections, such as Onchi’s First Thursday Society collections. In 1949, Kawanishi received the Hyogo Prefecture Culture Prize. In 1962, he received the Kobe Shinbun Peace Prize. Today, his work can be found in institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the British Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, and Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Fine, no flaws