At a Hot Springs Inn
by Koichi Maeda
- Date:
- 1952
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica and embossing
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 43.8 × 24.9 cm
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
by Koichi Maeda
$200–$1,500. Common prints: $200–$500. Key value factors: Maeda's prints are modestly priced and accessible.
"At a Hot Springs Inn" is a 1952 [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print by Koichi Maeda, rendered in ink and color on paper with mica and embossing. The hot springs inn, or ryokan, is a cornerstone of Japanese travel culture, and Maeda depicts its architecture with the careful attention to built form that characterizes his body of work. The use of mica adds a shimmering quality to certain surfaces, perhaps suggesting wet tiles, steaming water, or polished wooden interiors. Embossing creates tactile relief in the paper, giving architectural details a physical presence beyond flat printed color. Together these techniques elevate the print beyond simple illustration, turning the inn into a sensory experience where viewers can almost feel the humid warmth and hear the quiet sounds of water. Maeda's subject choice celebrates a distinctly Japanese institution of rest and renewal.
At a Hot Springs Inn was created by Koichi Maeda (前田光一) in 1952.
At a Hot Springs Inn depicts architecture.
At a Hot Springs Inn measures 43.8 × 24.9 cm (Oban format).
