Gihachiro Okuyama’s Woodblock “水車小屋 (‘Watermill’)” portrays a thatched watermill standing beside a partially frozen stream, its wheel jutting into dark winter waters. Snow blankets the roof and riverbanks, while a line of thatched houses and distant cedar‐clad hills rise under an overcast sky - a quiet snapshot of rural Japan’s reliance on mill‐powered agriculture even in the depths of winter. ❄️🌾
- Year & Edition: Open edition, circa 1960–70s; artist seal lower left.
- Medium: Woodblock.
- Dimensions: Sheet H: 13.50 cm × W: 19.50 cm.
- Condition: Excellent; sharp, clean impression.
- Notes: Traditional watermills like this one harnessed mountain streams to grind rice or barley, providing essential sustenance for farming villages. In winter, the mill continued to operate as snowmelt fed the Ōnaragawa and similar rivers. Okuyama captures both the simple utility of the structure and the stark beauty of a snow‐covered countryside, echoing how rural communities persisted through cold seasons.
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