$500–$4,000. Common landscapes: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Maeda Masao's atmospheric mountain and landscape prints have a dedicated following among sosaku-hanga collectors.
Print 23 — Hatsune (初音, "First Warbler") — corresponds to Chapter 23 of The Tale of Genji, in which the arrival of the year's first uguisu warbler at the Rokujo-in prompts gift-giving and poetic exchange among the estate's residents. The "first song" of the warbler was one of the most celebrated events in the Japanese poetic calendar, signaling the full arrival of spring, and Maeda Masao's illustration for this chapter likely emphasizes the bird and its setting within the Rokujo-in garden, the spring landscape providing his characteristic natural motifs.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Print 23 - Hatsune - 初音 was created by Maeda Masao (前田政雄).
Print 23 - Hatsune - 初音 depicts birds & flowers, figures, and spring.
