Key value factors: As self-carved and self-printed works, sosaku-hanga value is tied to the artist's reputation and edition size. Larger formats, earlier editions, and historically significant works command the highest prices.
This woodblock print depicts a river whose surface and banks are partially obscured by hovering mist, creating a landscape that exists in a state between visibility and concealment. Miyamoto Shufu uses the mist as both atmospheric element and compositional tool, selectively revealing and hiding portions of the river to create a rhythm of disclosure that guides the eye across the print. The river's course may be suggested by gaps in the mist where water catches light, while the banks fade into soft obscurity. Shufu's affinity for misty subjects reflects a Japanese aesthetic preference for suggestion over statement, where what is hidden contributes as much to the image's effect as what is shown. The print transforms a specific waterway into a meditative abstraction of flowing water and suspended moisture.
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Misty River was created by Miyamoto Shufu (宮本秋風).
Misty River depicts landscapes and rivers & lakes.
