Preliminary identification
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Overview
This is an original pre-war Japanese woodblock print (*shin-hanga*) by master landscape artist Kawase Hasui, titled *Rain at Shiba Rikyu Garden* (*Shiba Rikyū no ame*). Dated November 1932 (Shōwa 7), it depicts a dramatic, rain-swept pine tree overlooking Tokyo Bay with masterful atmospheric gradation and fine *baren* textures.
Story
Published in November 1932, this print captured a historic imperial garden in Tokyo during a quiet downpour. Kawase Hasui's moody, cinematic rain prints became the international face of modern Japanese landscape art.
Maker / Origin
Kawase Hasui (1883–1957) was the preeminent figure of the 20th-century Shin-hanga ('New Prints') movement. Partnering with visionary publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, Hasui traveled Japan for decades, capturing disappearing traditional landscapes before modernization reshaped the country, later being designated an Intangible Cultural Property.
Condition & Value
The print displays strong, unfaded blues and rich black pigments with clear reverse bleed-through. Visible vertical creasing on the right quadrant and light handling wear along the margins modestly soften top-tier gallery value.
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Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.