De Zensetsu tempel in Sanshu 1937

Kawase Hasui’s print, “De Zensetsu tempel in Sanshu” invites you into a world rendered in soft blues, greys, and greens. The artist uses these colours to capture a temple scene on a rainy day. It’s all about the process. Look how he captures the rain: see the vertical lines suggesting a downpour, blurring the edges of the pagoda in the background. Then notice the reflections on the wet stone, rendered with subtle gradations of grey. I’m really drawn to the way the artist uses flat planes of colour to build up the composition. The trees are formed with careful placement of differently toned greens, and then the architectural structure is captured through the juxtaposition of different shades of grey. The print reminds me of Hiroshige, another master of Japanese woodblock printing. Both artists share a sensitivity to atmosphere. This print doesn’t offer any easy answers, which I really appreciate. It’s about embracing ambiguity, and finding beauty in the everyday.