Silent Night at Kamo River
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Watanabe Print
- Image courtesy of
- Watanabe Print
Description
The Kamo River runs through central Kyoto, and a nocturnal view of its banks calls for a restrained, near-monochromatic palette of deep blues, blacks, and reflected lamplight on moving water. Kotozuka would have used a dark keyblock and selective overprinting to build depth in the night sky, while the river's surface — printed with horizontal gradations and subtle texture — captures the shimmer of lanterns or moonlight. The composition may include the stone banks or wooden platforms (yuka) of the restaurant district along Pontocho, anchoring the scene in a specific Kyoto geography. Night river prints demand precise registration because the reflected light effects require exact alignment across multiple blocks.
More Prints by Kotozuka Eiichi
More Landscapes Prints
Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
Woodblock print
The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Silent Night at Kamo River was created by Kotozuka Eiichi (琴塚英一).
Silent Night at Kamo River depicts landscapes.