Sanjo Bridge in Mist
by Insho Domoto
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
by Insho Domoto
$1,000–$8,000. Common prints: $1,000–$2,500. Key value factors: As a major nihonga painter, Domoto Insho's prints are valued both as artworks and as affordable entry points to his oeuvre. Paintings command far higher prices.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print captures Sanjo Bridge shrouded in mist, transforming one of Kyoto's most historic landmarks into a ghostly, atmospheric image. The Sanjo Bridge spans the Kamo River and historically served as the western terminus of the Tokaido road, making it a symbol of connection between Kyoto and Edo. Domoto's decision to depict the bridge in mist dissolves its solid architectural forms into soft, indistinct shapes that emerge from and recede into the surrounding vapor. The mist condition, common along the Kamo River in early morning and during certain seasons, strips away the identifying details of the modern city, allowing the ancient bridge to exist in a timeless atmospheric space. The woodblock medium's [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation technique is ideally suited to rendering the soft transitions between visible and obscured forms.
Woodblock print
Woodblock print
Woodblock print
early Shôwa period (1926–1989), 1926/35
Silk, plain weave; stenciled and resist dyed (yûzenzome: ita-age, suri yûzenzome, otoshizome and shigokizome)
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Sanjo Bridge in Mist was created by Insho Domoto (堂本印象).
Sanjo Bridge in Mist depicts landscapes and bridges.