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Modern Japanese Prints - The Sōsaku Hanga Movement

Post-war independence and experimentation in Japanese printmaking

Modern Japanese printmaking underwent a dramatic transformation in the post-war decades with the rise of sōsaku hanga (創作版画) - the “creative print” movement. Centred in the heart of the Shōwa (1926-1989) era, unlike the collaborative model of ukiyo-e (浮世絵) or the publisher-led approach of shin-hanga (新版画), sōsaku hanga put authorship back in the artist’s hands: conceived, carved, and printed by the same maker. Individual expression moved to the centre of practice, and the artist’s studio became the workshop and the press. Pioneering figures such as Onchi Kōshirō (恩地孝四郎), Hiratsuka Un’ichi (平塚運一), and peers who exhibited internationally helped redefine Japanese printmaking in the mid-20th century and set a new standard for artist-made editions. Their studios fostered autonomy, experimentation, mentorship, and resilient post-war networks.

While woodblock prints remained central, artists pushed form, colour, texture, and technique - exploring silkscreen, wood-engraving, mixed processes, embossing, and innovative surface effects alongside traditional water-based printing. Subjects ranged from rural landscapes and post-war city life to abstraction and reimagined folklore, reflecting a period of rapid social change. International exhibitions, print societies, and dialogue with Western modernism expanded audiences and sharpened ideas, introducing modern Japanese prints to viewers worldwide. This collection highlights a historically pivotal era in the evolution of Japanese prints - works that bridge tradition and modernity, and form the foundations of the vitality seen in the emerging era of contemporary Japanese printmaking today.

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Masao Ido - 四国 石手寺 (Ishiteji Temple)Masao Ido - 四国 石手寺 (Ishiteji Temple)
Masao Ido - 圓蔵寺 (Enzoji Temple)Masao Ido - 圓蔵寺 (Enzoji Temple)
Sold outMasao Ido - 夕映え (Evening Glow)Masao Ido - 夕映え (Evening Glow)
Masao Ido - 大濠公園 (Ohori Park)Masao Ido - 大濠公園 (Ohori Park)
Sold outMasao Ido - 安楽寺 (Anraku-ji)Masao Ido - 安楽寺 (Anraku-ji)
Masao Ido - 小豆島 (オリーブ園より(Shodoshima (From the Olive Gardens))Masao Ido - 小豆島 (オリーブ園より(Shodoshima (From the Olive Gardens))
Sold outMasao Ido - 朧夜 (Moonlit Night)Masao Ido - 朧夜 (Moonlit Night)
Masao Ido - 桂離宮 (Katsura Imperial Villa)Masao Ido - 桂離宮 (Katsura Imperial Villa)
Sold outMasao Ido - 樹 影 (Tree Shadows)Masao Ido - 樹 影 (Tree Shadows)
Sold outMasao Ido - 武家屋敷 (松江) (Samurai residence (Matsue))Masao Ido - 武家屋敷 (松江) (Samurai residence (Matsue))
Sold outMasao Ido - 洛北・正伝寺 (Shodenji Temple in Northern Kyoto)Masao Ido - 洛北・正伝寺 (Shodenji Temple in Northern Kyoto)
Sold outMasao Ido - 浅の川暮色 (Asano-gawa at Twilight)Masao Ido - 浅の川暮色 (Asano-gawa at Twilight)
Sold outMasao Ido - 石割桜 (Ishiwarizakura)Masao Ido - 石割桜 (Ishiwarizakura)
Sold outMasao Ido - 石水院 (Sekisui-in, Kosanji Temple)Masao Ido - 石水院 (Sekisui-in, Kosanji Temple)
Masao Ido - 秋らんまん (Autumn in Full Bloom)Masao Ido - 秋らんまん (Autumn in Full Bloom)
Sold outMasao Ido - 道後 (四国 松山) (Dogo Onsen (Shikoku, Matsuyama))Masao Ido - 道後 (四国 松山) (Dogo Onsen (Shikoku, Matsuyama))
Masao Ido - 道後温泉 (Dogo Onsen)Masao Ido - 道後温泉 (Dogo Onsen)
Sold outMasao Ido - 雪月花 しだれ桜 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Weeping Cherryblossom)Masao Ido - 雪月花 しだれ桜 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Weeping Cherryblossom)
Sold outMasao Ido - 雪月花 嵐山 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Arashiyama)Masao Ido - 雪月花 嵐山 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Arashiyama)
Sold outMasao Ido - 雪月花 竹林 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Bamboo Forest)Masao Ido - 雪月花 竹林 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Bamboo Forest)
Masao Ido - 鞆.潮待ち港 (Tomo. Shiomachi Port)Masao Ido - 鞆.潮待ち港 (Tomo. Shiomachi Port)
Sold outMasao Ido - 鞆.町並み (Tomo. Townscape)Masao Ido - 鞆.町並み (Tomo. Townscape)
Masao Ido - 鞍馬の冬 (Winter in Kurama)Masao Ido - 鞍馬の冬 (Winter in Kurama)
Masao Ido - 須賀川の牡丹 (Peonies of Sukagawa)Masao Ido - 須賀川の牡丹 (Peonies of Sukagawa)
Masao Ido - 高瀬川 (Takase River)Masao Ido - 高瀬川 (Takase River)
Masao Ido - 鳥居本 (Toriimoto)Masao Ido - 鳥居本 (Toriimoto)
Sadao Watanabe - カナンの葡萄 (Grapes of Canaan)Sadao Watanabe - カナンの葡萄 (Grapes of Canaan)
Sold outSadao Watanabe - ルツ物語 (The Story of Ruth)Sadao Watanabe - ルツ物語 (The Story of Ruth)
Sadao Watanabe - 三人の漁師 (Three Fishermen)Sadao Watanabe - 三人の漁師 (Three Fishermen)
Sold outSadao Watanabe - 三頭の馬 (Three horses)Sadao Watanabe - 三頭の馬 (Three horses)
Sadao Watanabe - 天からのマナ (Manna From Heaven)Sadao Watanabe - 天からのマナ (Manna From Heaven)
Sadao Watanabe - 聖母子 (A Modern Madonna)Sadao Watanabe - 聖母子 (A Modern Madonna)
Sadao Watanabe - 葡萄園の比喩 (The Vineyard Labourers)Sadao Watanabe - 葡萄園の比喩 (The Vineyard Labourers)
Sadao Watanabe - 鶉を捕る少女 (Maidens and Quails)Sadao Watanabe - 鶉を捕る少女 (Maidens and Quails)