Night at Shinobazu Pond

This impression of Night at Shinobazu Pond records a nocturnal view of the famous lotus pond within Ueno Park, Tokyo. Shinobazu Pond carried cultural associations with the Buddhist Benzaiten shrine at its center and with the lotus plants that cover its surface each summer, and Hasui's composition exploits these elements for compositional layering. The dark water surface acts as a mirror, picking up the pale shapes of moon or lamplight while the lotus leaves provide textural foreground interest. Tree silhouettes frame the upper register against a graduated sky rendered through the bokashi technique on washi paper. Variant impressions of this subject differ in the saturation of the night sky and in fine details of the water treatment, reflecting the handcraft nature of woodblock printing in which each sheet receives individual inking. The vertical oban format suits the pond's reflective depth.