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Sunset at Tomonotsu, Inland Sea by Kawase Hasui — Japanese Woodblock print

Sunset at Tomonotsu, Inland Sea

by Kawase Hasui

Medium:
Woodblock print
Image courtesy of
Japanese Art Open Database

Description

Tomonotsu, a historic port town on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, provided Hasui with the sheltered harbor views and coastal craft he favored on his regional sketching tours. This print likely depicts wooden fishing or cargo vessels moored in still water as the sky shifts through orange and vermillion at day's end. The Inland Sea setting allowed for distant island silhouettes layered in atmospheric recession, a compositional structure Hasui handled through carefully graded bokashi blocks. The reflections of hulls and masts in the glassy harbor water are characteristic of his coastal series. Tomonotsu's long history as a Kitamaebune trading port lends the scene quiet historical resonance alongside its visual tranquility.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Sunset at Tomonotsu, Inland Sea was created by Kawase Hasui (川瀬巴水).

Sunset at Tomonotsu, Inland Sea depicts night scenes.