Masao Ido - 夕映えの塔 (八坂) (Tower in the Evening Glow (Yasaka))

A fabulous print by Masao Ido: 夕映えの塔 (八坂) (Tower in the Evening Glow (Yasaka)). A quiet Kyoto street unfolds beneath a striking red-orange sky, with traditional wooden machiya lining the foreground and the five-storey Yasaka Pagoda rising in the distance. Warm interior light glows through paper windows, contrasting with the deepening shadows of the street and rooftops. Ido captures the transition from day to evening, balancing architectural beauty with the atmosphere of Kyoto at dusk. 🌇🏯✨

• Year & Edition: 1986. Ed. 66/150 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
• Medium: Woodblock.
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 36.00 cm × W: 47.00 cm; Image H: 30.50 cm × W: 42.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Beautiful piece. Image colours vibrant; paper face clean, crisp & intact.
  
• Notes: The Yasaka Pagoda (八坂の塔), located in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district, is one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. The print reflects the preserved streetscape of this historic area, where traditional buildings and narrow lanes remain largely unchanged.

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]