Masao Ido - 北山夕霧 (Evening Mist in Kitayama)

A fabulous print by Masao Ido: 北山夕霧 (Evening Mist in Kitayama). This luminous scene captures Kyoto’s northern cedar forests in soft twilight mist. Tall sugi (杉, cedar) trunks stretch skyward in the foreground, framing patterned tree plantations layered across the valley. Below, gold-tinged foliage glows in the last light of day. The setting evokes the ancient forestry technique of daisugi (台杉) - a sustainable method used in Kitayama since the Muromachi period to cultivate straight timber for tea houses and traditional townhouses. A quiet yet monumental tribute to Kyoto’s mountain heritage. 🌲🌄

• Year & Edition: 1993 · Ed. 43/88 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Woodblock.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 45.00 cm × W: 62.75 cm · Image H: 37.25 cm × W: 55.75 cm.
  
• Condition: A lovely piece with beautiful soft colours. Image face unmarked. Faint mat line, minor browning to outer margin and verso. Presents beautifully.
  
• Notes: Kitayama’s unique landscape has shaped Kyoto’s architectural traditions for centuries. The daisugi method - where sugi trees are carefully pruned to grow multiple straight trunks from a single base - is still practiced in small-scale forestry today. Ido's composition overlays nature and craft, expressing the same reverence that built Kyoto’s temples, tea rooms, and inner gardens. 🍂🌲

About the Artist

Masao Ido (1945-2016) was a printmaker known for his Kyoto scenes, brimming with rich greenery, seasonal shades of signature “Ido Green”, and refined goma-zuri textures. Trained in traditional textile dyeing, he turned to woodblock printmaking in the early 1970s, capturing historic townscapes and seasonal views - from Kyoto to Shirakawa-go and the Nakasendō way. Printed with up to 23 colour blocks on handmade Echizen washi, his works are held in major collections including the MFA Boston, U.S. Library of Congress, and the Tokyo & Kyoto National Museums. [ ← View All Works by Masao Ido]