Title: Spring Evening on the Kintai Bridge, Yamaguchi
Artist: Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Culture: Japanese (1947)
Medium: Color Woodblock Print
Dimensions: Height: 36cm, Length: 24cm
Repository: Connecticut College
Image Description: Created by Kawase Hasui in 1947, “Spring Evening on the Kintai Bridge” is a woodblock print depicting a gloomy, yet tranquil morning or evening. The main subject of the print is a man paddling his gondola in calm, blue water as he passes underneath a wooden walking bridge, going between its large, grey, stone pillars. A precise silhouette of the man paddling is reflected in the water, showing the river’s shiny characteristic. In the foreground of the print, there is a pink budded tree contrasting the vast shades of blue which cover the rest of Hasui’s piece. Beyond the pink tree, the man, and over the bridge, details such as a lamp post and small buildings make it clear that there is a village. Past the village, there is a forest which is mainly blue, similar to the rest of the print, however, the tips of trees and brief areas of the sky are highlighted with a vibrant yellow, suggesting the arrival of dusk or dawn. Although the photo’s overwhelming blue shades make it feel lonely, splashes of pink and yellow, along with the mans silhouette, highlight the occasional peacefulness and desirability of isolation, and that if one has themself they are not truly alone.
References:
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/197205/spring-evening-at-the-kintai-bridge-kintaikyo-no-shunsho
