YOSHIMUNE ARAI Japanese, 1873 - 1945 Four Moonlit Landscapes: all circa 1930s Woodcut on paper A group of four woodblock prints, each depicting tranquil nocturnal coastal and shoreline scenes bathed in soft moonlight, with recurring motifs of pine trees, sailing junks, distant mountains, and calm water. Characteristic of the shin-hanga ("new print") tradition, the works employ delicate gradation (bokashi) to evoke atmospheric depth and quiet, contemplative moods. Each is presented in a matching black frame. None examined out of frame. Each one: Sight (as matted): 9.5 x 7 inches; frame: 16.5 x 13 inches $400-600
ARTIST PROFILE: Yoshimune Arai (Japanese, 1873–1945) was a woodblock print designer and illustrator active during the Taisho era shin-hanga movement, best known for his contributions to the celebrated "Night Scenes" series published by the Tokyo firms Hasegawa and Nishinomiya Yosaku. His works, rendered in a restrained palette of blues, sepias, and blacks, are noted for their evocative depictions of moonlit beaches, fishing boats, and riverside scenes, capturing the effects of light on water and in darkness with particular sensitivity. Though verifiable biographical documentation on the artist remains scarce, his prints continue to be prized by collectors for their atmospheric, quietly romantic evocations of pre-war Japan.
