The Dorokyo Gorge water gauge is a surprisingly specific and utilitarian subject for a woodblock print, depicting a measurement station along the dramatic river gorge in Wakayama-Nara borderlands. This unusual choice of subject matter makes the print a conversation piece and a rarity in Asano's catalog. Prices are typically $150-$450, with the quirky subject appealing to collectors who value the unexpected.
Dorokyo Water Gauge presents a measuring device or marker at the Dorokyo — the dramatic river gorge on the Nachi River in Wakayama Prefecture, known for its sheer cliffs and the boat trips that allowed visitors to view them from the water. The water gauge, a practical infrastructure element used to monitor river levels, becomes in Asano's hands a subject that combined documentary observation with the atmospheric beauty of the gorge setting. The functional object situated within the dramatic scenery of the Dorokyo created an unexpected juxtaposition of the utilitarian and the sublime.
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.
Dorokyo Water Gauge was created by Takeji Asano (浅野竹二).
Dorokyo Water Gauge uses Bokashi, Nishiki-e, and Moku-hanga, on woodblock print.
Dorokyo Water Gauge was published by Unsodo.
Dorokyo Water Gauge depicts landscapes and rivers & lakes.
