Key value factors: As self-carved and self-printed works, sosaku-hanga value is tied to the artist's reputation and edition size. Larger formats, earlier editions, and historically significant works command the highest prices.
A woodblock print depicting Matsuo Temple, likely Matsuo-dera in Nara Prefecture, a hilltop temple known for its ancient wooden buildings and surrounding forest. The temple, one of the stops on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage, sits on elevated ground offering views across the Yamato Plain. Nakazawa renders the temple structures amid their natural setting, where centuries-old trees frame the weathered wooden halls. Matsuo-dera is particularly associated with autumn foliage and spring flowers, seasonal elements that would have provided the printer with opportunities for vivid color work. The temple's relative obscurity compared to Kyoto's famous sites suggests Nakazawa was documenting the full range of Japan's sacred architecture, not just its most popular landmarks.
伏見稲荷
Woodblock print
c. 1832/38
Color woodblock print; oban
Woodblock print
Uji Byodoin no ichibu
1921
Color woodblock print; oban
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Matuo Temple was created by Hiromitsu Nakazawa (中沢弘光).
Matuo Temple depicts temples & shrines.
