First editions of Snow And Wild Pigeons exhibit the crisp detail and saturated pigments that distinguish initial Watanabe printings from later runs. Expect to pay $1,500-$4,000 for a confirmed first edition. The combination of wildlife and winter landscape in this early impression offers richer contrast between the white snow and the pigeons' plumage than any subsequent printing achieves.
Snow falls on wild pigeons roosting along a temple eave or garden wall, the birds' grey plumage barely distinguishable from the grey sky behind them while snowflakes accumulate on the horizontal surfaces around them. This first edition of the wild pigeon snow print shows the fresh ink and vivid [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) of an early impression. Pigeon subjects were a natural choice for Kasamatsu in his Asakusa context — wild rock doves had colonized the temple precincts of Sensoji for centuries, and their grey presence against snow created a restrained, wintry composition.
Woodblock print
c. 1832/38
Color woodblock print; oban
Yuki no Miyajima
1929
Color woodblock print; oban
1932
Woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Snow and Wild Pigeons (first edition) was created by Shiro Kasamatsu (笠松紫浪).
Snow and Wild Pigeons (first edition) uses Bokashi, Nishiki-e, and Moku-hanga, on woodblock print.
Snow and Wild Pigeons (first edition) was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Snow and Wild Pigeons (first edition) depicts snow scenes.
