Hasui Kawase

Hasui Kawase
川瀬巴水
Portrait of Hasui Kawase, 1939
Born	(1883-05-18)May 18, 1883 Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Died	November 7, 1957(1957-11-07) (aged 74)
Nationality	Japanese
Movement	Shin-hanga

Hasui Kawase (川瀬 巴水, Kawase Hasui, May 18, 1883 – November 7, 1957) was a Japanese artist who was one of 20th century Japan's most important and prolific printmakers. He was a prominent designer of the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement, whose artists depicted traditional subjects with a style influenced by yōga (Western-style painting). Like many earlier ukiyo-e prints, Hasui's works were commonly landscapes, but displayed atmospheric effects and natural lighting.

Hasui designed almost one thousand woodblock prints over a career that spanned nearly forty years. Towards the end of his life the government recognized him as a Living National Treasure for his contribution to Japanese culture.