The Avenue of Ceder Trees in Summer - Nikko — 杉並木

This second impression of the Nikko cedar avenue composition shows Kotozuka's practice of producing multiple editions or impression runs of successful subjects. The sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) that line the approach to the Tosho-gu shrines stand among the tallest preserved avenue trees in Japan, some specimens exceeding thirty meters, and their scale relative to any human presence is one of the defining visual facts of the subject. In the summer variant, the fully leafed canopy produces a green-filtered light that distinguishes the composition from autumn or winter treatments of the same site. Variations between this and the companion impression may include differences in sky gradation, the density of the foliage blocks, or the handling of ground shadow — changes that Kotozuka's direct oversight of his printing studio allowed him to control closely across impression runs.