Moon over Akebi Bridge

This second impression of Hasui's Akebi Bridge composition shows the bridge — a structural element linking two banks of a Tokyo waterway — under the night sky. The composition's balance between the solid horizontal of the bridge and the open expanse of water and sky above and below it is characteristic of Hasui's approach to architectural subjects: the man-made structure provides geometric stability while the natural elements introduce tonal softness. Hasui's printers used fine carving to articulate any ironwork, railing details, or wooden planking in the bridge's structure through the keyblock, then applied successive color blocks for the sky gradation and water surface. Comparison with the first and third impressions may reveal differences in how deeply the blue ink was applied to the sky or how crisply the bridge's edge was cut.