Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)

Kawase Hasui was a Japanese woodblock print artist widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of the shin-hanga ('new prints') movement of the 20th century. Trained under Kaburagi Kiyokata and later mentored by publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, he created over 600 landscape prints capturing the serene beauty of Japan's cities, temples, and countryside across the seasons. Designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government in 1956, his evocative works continue to command strong prices at international auction houses.