Pre-1923 Shotei prints are particularly prized because the Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed original woodblocks along with much of the Watanabe publishing house. Surviving pre-earthquake impressions carry a scarcity premium.
Rain sweeps across the Sumida River in Tokyo, creating a misty, atmospheric scene in which the far bank is barely visible through the downpour. Boats and bridges appear as ghostly silhouettes in the rain-washed landscape. The print demonstrates Shotei''s exceptional ability to render weather effects, with the rain creating a pervasive gray atmosphere softening every form.
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.
Rain on the Sumida River (隅田川の雨) was created by Takahashi Shotei (高橋松亭) in c. 1920.
Rain on the Sumida River was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (c. 1920).
Rain on the Sumida River depicts landscapes, rivers & lakes, and rain, set at Sumida River.
