Eye Candy: Kamibashi Bridge at Nikko (Sacred Bridge) by Kawase Hasui

Kamibashi Bridge at Nikko (Sacred Bridge) by Kawase Hasui, woodblock print, 15 x 10 (39 x 26 cm). The image of this impression of the print is from the ukyio-e.org site. Working in the shin-hanga style, Kawase Hasui had training in both tradational Japanese and western art and combined them in most of his images. Workig with a dedicated woodblock carver, he would design the impressions to be a final image that cohered as it were more directly painted. I love the way the bridge begins to fade into shadow as it enters the foliage on our side of the river, and is brightly lit at the far side. Look at the shadows under the bridge (images above, bottom). Look at how delicate the value relationships are there, contrasted with the bright faces of the cross timbers. From the hillside behind this part of the bridge, going to the right, it’s: light, dark, light, dark, light. Maybe I’m making to much of that, but it tickles my brain. I also love the way he has indicated the motion and direction…