Hasui, Kawase (1883 – 1957), “Snow at Tosho Shrine, Ueno (First State)”

Notes: Limited edition red seal on verso, #77/100. Provenance: Robert O. Muller Collection, with his penciled limitation number in the l.l. margin; Hasui signature and artist red seal, l.l. design. Left margin chops: Horiko [block-cutter], Maeda [Kentaro], Suriko [printer], Komatsu [Wasakichi]. Red limitation label on the reverse; numbered in Kanji in black ink. Stamped on the reverse, "Made in Japan". This is one of sixteen Hasui designs produced jointly by the Tokyo publishers Sakai-Kawaguchi in a limited edition printing. The overall quality of the joint publication was extremely high. Compared to prints issued by Watanabe Shozaburo, those of Sakai-Kawaguchi were typified by the use of a heavier, more absorbent paper, which was often larger in size, affording greater margins. Hasui's collaboration with publishers other than Watanabe such as Sakai and Kawaguchi occurred from 1929 to 1932. It has often been speculated that the principal reason for Hasui's association with other publishers seem to have been economic. At this time, Hasui was building a new house in Magome and the extra expenses incurred him to look for additional income". - The New Wave; pg. 146 A SCARCE, SELDOM SEEN FIRST STATE PRINT.