Koichi Sakamoto - 走る雲 (Racing Clouds) (No.2)

A fabulous print by Koichi Sakamoto: 走る雲 (Racing Clouds) (No.2). Traditional gasshō-style farmhouses sit under a thick layer of snow, framed by bare trees and deep mountain ridges. A line of clouds moves swiftly across the blue sky, adding contrast and movement to the stillness of the scene. Designed for harsh winters, the steep thatched roofs and stone-lined paths anchor the composition in Japan’s rural uplands. A striking winter image capturing the quiet pause of a snow-covered village beneath changing skies. ❄️🏔️☁️

• Year & Edition: c. late 1970s/80s · Ed. 55/100 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Etching & Aquatint.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 36.25 cm × W: 48.50 cm; Image H: 22.00 cm × W: 32.75 cm.
  
• Condition: Beautiful condition. Paper clean & crisp; well stored.
  
• Notes: Marked “その2” (No.2) in pencil. *Koichi Sakamoto seal embossed to paper. From the later decades of the 20th century, Sakamoto became especially known for his winter landscapes and mountain villages rendered in clean, quiet detail.

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]