Snow settles on the Akamon, the Red Gate at Hongō in Tokyo, while a few figures pass beneath it in the cold. This is a shin-hanga print by Takahashi Shōtei, who also signed his work Hiroaki, made with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, the house that led the early twentieth-century revival of Japanese woodblock printing. The deep red of the gate against the white of fresh snow gives the scene its quiet, held stillness.
The image is a colour woodblock print. The design is cut into cherry-wood blocks and printed by hand onto soft paper, one colour at a time. Shōtei and Watanabe were known for atmospheric weather scenes, and the method here builds the soft grey sky, the weight of snow on the roof and ground, and the warm red that holds the centre of the view.
On a wall the print brings a settled, wintry calm. The muted greys and whites keep it gentle, while the single note of red gives the room a quiet focus. It suits a bedroom, a hallway, or a reading corner, and t . . . Read More >>
Snow settles on the Akamon, the Red Gate at Hongō in Tokyo, while a few figures pass beneath it in the cold. This is a shin-hanga print by Takahashi Shōtei, who also signed his work Hiroaki, made with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, the house that led the early twentieth-century revival of Japanese woodblock printing. The deep red of the gate against the white of fresh snow gives the scene its quiet, held stillness.
The image is a colour woodblock print. The design is cut into cherry-wood blocks and printed by hand onto soft paper, one colour at a time. Shōtei and Watanabe were known for atmospheric weather scenes, and the method here builds the soft grey sky, the weight of snow on the roof and ground, and the warm red that holds the centre of the view.
On a wall the print brings a settled, wintry calm. The muted greys and whites keep it gentle, while the single note of red gives the room a quiet focus. It suits a bedroom, a hallway, or a reading corner, and the gallery-style white margin lets the snow and the gate breathe against pale walls.
Available as a museum-grade fine art paper print, as a framed picture with shatter-resistant acrylic glazing, or as a satin-coated cotton canvas stretched on a wooden frame and ready to hang.
Frequently asked questions
What building is shown in this print?
It is the Akamon, the Red Gate at Hongō in Tokyo, seen under fresh snow. The deep red of the gate stands against the white of the winter scene.
Who made this print?
It is by Takahashi Shōtei, who also signed as Hiroaki, produced with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, a leading house of the shin-hanga movement.
What movement does it belong to?
It belongs to shin-hanga, the early twentieth-century revival of Japanese woodblock printing, which was known for atmospheric scenes of weather, light, and quiet city views.
Which room does it suit?
Its muted greys and whites with one note of red bring a calm, wintry mood, so it works well in a bedroom, a hallway, or a reading corner.
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Japan historical period: Showa 昭和 (1926-1989)
Place of origin:
Tokyo,
Kanto region
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