Masao Ido - 雪月花 竹林 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Bamboo Forest)

A fabulous print by Masao Ido: 雪月花 竹林 (Snow, Moon, & Flowers - Bamboo Forest). Framed by towering stalks of emerald bamboo, the rising moon casts soft light over a layered grove of trees and pavillion rooftop - a view likely drawn from Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The composition is a tribute to the poetic theme of setsu-getsu-ka (雪月花) - snow, moon, and flowers - celebrating nature’s shifting beauty across the seasons. 🌕🎋

• Year & Edition: 1995 · Ed. 97/150 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Woodblock.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 44.75 cm × W: 60.75 cm; Image H: 35.75 cm × W: 51.25 cm.
  
• Condition: A beautiful print. No notable marks or blemishes.
  
• Notes: The phrase 雪月花 (setsu-getsu-ka) stems from Chinese Tang dynasty poetry and has long shaped Japanese aesthetics - used to evoke scenes of snow in Amanohashidate, the moon at Matsushima, and cherry blossoms at Miyajima (日本三景, Nihon Sankei). Ido’s print carries this timeless tradition into a contemporary landscape, where moonlight and bamboo embody quiet elegance. 🌿🌕

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]