Pyramids of Egypt
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Edition:
- Self-printed
- Source:
- Art of Japan
Description
The pyramids of Giza, among the most recognizable structures on earth, appear in this woodblock print as Nagase brings the Japanese printmaking tradition to bear on an Egyptian subject. The pyramids' geometric simplicity, triangular faces rising from a flat desert plane, translates naturally into the woodblock medium's strength with bold shapes and clear tonal contrasts. Nagase joins a tradition of Japanese artists who depicted foreign landmarks after international travel became accessible in the postwar period. The dry desert light, the monumentality of stone construction, and the vast empty landscape surrounding the pyramids all contrast sharply with the intimate, moisture-rich Japanese landscapes more typical of the hanga tradition.
More Prints by Nagase Yoshio
![Title unknown [Woman and child] by Nagase Yoshio](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135555.jpg)
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
Pyramids of Egypt was created by Nagase Yoshio (永瀬義郎).
Pyramids of Egypt depicts landscapes, architecture, and travel scenes.