Ishizue in Niigata

Ishizue is a district within Niigata City on the Sea of Japan coast, and this print is one of several views Hasui made of the area. Niigata Prefecture's landscape features flat river deltas, pine-backed beaches, and the characteristic gray winter light of the Sea of Japan coast, all of which appear in Hasui's Niigata compositions. The Ishizue area lies along the coastline north of central Niigata, and Hasui likely depicts the waterfront with fishing vessels or the low silhouette of the shore under overcast sky. The Sea of Japan coast presented Hasui with a different light quality than the Pacific views he also produced: cooler, more diffuse illumination and the frequent presence of mist or cloud. These atmospheric conditions required subtle tonal management in the sky blocks, using gradated washes to suggest the compressed luminosity of an overcast coastal day. The Niigata prints demonstrate Hasui's continued interest in less-celebrated regional coastlines over his long career.