Spring Falls

Water cascading in springtime carries the accumulated snowmelt of winter mountains and the fresh rainfall of the season into rushing streams and swollen rivers. This mokuhanga print combines the vertical energy of falling water with the renewal associated with spring, likely rendered in a palette of greens, blues, and the bright whites of aerated water. Brayer treats the waterfall as a column of light and motion within a surrounding field of new growth. Spring waterfalls in the mountains near Kyoto carry particular visual intensity as the increased water volume amplifies both the sound and the visual spectacle of the cascade. The print pairs natural force with seasonal beauty, two themes that recur throughout Brayer's engagement with the Japanese landscape.