Uji Bridge

A third catalogued version of Hasui's Uji Bridge subject, this print depicts the historic crossing over the Uji River south of Kyoto under specific seasonal or meteorological conditions. The Uji Bridge appears across multiple compositions in Hasui's catalog, reflecting the site's status as a landmark associated with classical Japanese literature and one of the country's oldest continuously maintained river crossings. This version differs from its two companion prints in the treatment of sky, season, or the precise vantage point from which the bridge and its stone piers are observed. The Uji River's characteristic green-blue coloration, produced by clear water from highland sources, required careful pigment calibration and multi-layer printing on washi to render convincingly. The technical separation between the linear block printing for the bridge's structural elements and the bokashi gradation blocks for sky and water exemplifies the specialized division of labor within the Watanabe Shozaburo publishing operation.