Calm Before the Holidays

Kasamatsu Shiro, The Sea of Echigo, woodblock print, 1957

To get you ready for the hustle and bustle of the holidays, here is a bit of soul healing calm from the Japanese woodblock print master, Shiro Kasamatsu (1898-1991)

Wouldn’t it be lovely to align our inner selves to the harmony of these compositions.

Kasamatsu Shiro, Snow Country, 1959, woodblock print

Born in Asakusa, Tokyo, Kasamatsu studied Nihonga (Japanese style painting) since the age of 13, producing over 300 works during his lifetime. Most of his works were then translated into woodcuts by master block carvers and printers although some were self-carved by him.

Kasamatsu Shiro, Deer in the Snow, 1961, woodblock print

His subject matter remained traditional and focused mainly on landscapes and cityscapes, although in a departure from the usual horizontal format for landscapes, his wood blocks were mostly vertical (portrait) in format.

Kasamatsu Shiro, Onion Flowers, 1958, woodblock print

Works by Kasamatsu are in the collections of many public institutions, including The British Museum in London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the Smithsonian in Washington DC; the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, and many others.

Kasamatsu Shiro, Arbour in the Snow, 1957, woodblock print

Happy upcoming holidays!

Kasamatsu Shiro, Song of the Frost, 1960, woodblock print