Kawase Hasui, Clearing after a Snow in the Pines (Limited Edition)

Notes: Stunning overall state; near MINT+ condition. One of the very best examples of this design that we've ever had the pleasure of offering. Provenance: Robert O. Muller Collection. Sealed with red Hasui chop; and numbered in black ink. Stamped on the reverse, "Made in Japan", "13" (catalog number) and "KAWAGUCHI". Copyright seal in lower right margin. Seal of printer (Komatsu) and carver (Maeda) in lower left margin. Properly stored and never framed or displayed. 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