Hori River Possibly 1920

This woodblock print, Hori River, was made by Hasui Kawase, though the exact date is unknown. It feels like a memory, not quite real, yet totally convincing. The flat planes of colour create these beautiful, subtle shifts in tone. Look at the way the gray sky meets the muted blues of the ocean – it’s like a watercolour dream. But then you notice the texture, especially in the stone walls lining the river. Each stone is carefully placed, almost vibrating with detail. I love the dark shadows under the eaves of the buildings, too. The whole image has a kind of quiet intensity. It reminds me of those long, twilight hours when everything seems possible. There’s a similar effect in Edward Hopper’s paintings – that sense of stillness and contemplation. It’s like Kawase is saying that beauty can be found in the most ordinary of places, if you just take the time to look.