Koichi Sakamoto - 真冬日 (Midwinter Day) (No.2)

A fabulous print by Koichi Sakamoto: 真冬日 (Midwinter Day) (No.2). A thick blanket of snow settles over the steep rooftops and stone walls of a traditional farmhouse, nestled in a quiet mountain village. The dark timber walls contrast sharply with the snow, while a pale blue sky casts a cold, luminous light over the scene. Bare trees rise behind the structure, their silhouettes echoing the jagged ridge line beyond. A beautifully observed image capturing the stillness and quiet strength of rural Japan in the heart of winter. ❄️🏔️🏡

• Year & Edition: c. late 1970s/80s · Ed. 71/100 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Etching & Aquatint on BFK RIVES paper.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 37.00 cm × W: 49.00 cm; Image H: 24.00 cm × W: 35.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Beautiful condition. Paper clean & crisp; well stored.
  
• Notes: Marked “その2” (No.2) in pencil. From the later decades of the 20th century, Sakamoto became especially known for his winter scenes - snow-covered thatched roofs and bare trees rendered in soft detail, conveying a meditative stillness.

About the Artist

Koichi Sakamoto (b.1932, Utsunomiya) is a Japanese printmaker known for his fine etchings & mezzotints depicting rural homes, birds, and quiet seasonal landscapes. A longtime exhibitor with the Japan Print Association and Shunyōkai, his postwar works are held in major museum collections in Japan and abroad. His snowbound villages and delicate natural subjects evoke a deep sense of stillness & reflection. [ ← View All Works by Koichi Sakamoto]