Masao Ido, Yōshō, 1992, Woodblock Print

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“yōshō” (light reflection) — masao ido, original sōsaku-hanga japanese woodblock print kyoto 1992

step into a quiet corner of old … Read more “yōshō” (light reflection) — masao ido, original sōsaku-hanga japanese woodblock print kyoto 1992

step into a quiet corner of old kyoto with this luminous woodblock print by celebrated japanese printmaker masao ido (1945–2016). Titled yōshō — “light reflection” — the composition captures a sun-dappled stone path beneath a canopy of vivid spring maples, leading the eye toward a traditional soba stall shaded by a large paper parasol. Deep vermilion tabletops, indigo noren banners, and the artist’s signature bokashi gradation work together to conjure the flicker of sunlight through leaves — a scene both specific and timeless, rendered with the quiet precision ido was known for.

working in the sōsaku-hanga (“creative print”) tradition, ido designed, carved, and printed each block himself, a discipline that gives his work an intimacy rarely found in commercially produced prints. Here, layered greens and warm greys are built up with remarkable subtlety, while the stippled texture of the pavement and foliage lends the print an almost painterly depth.

this is a hand-pulled, limited-edition impression, numbered 33/200, titled and dated by the artist in pencil, and signed in the lower margin. It bears ido’s red artist’s seal in the lower right corner of the image. The print is presented in its original japanese frame, a fitting, understated complement to the composition.

a serene and highly collectible example of late-20th-century japanese printmaking, well suited to a reading room, hallway, or any space that calls for a moment of stillness.

details

artist: masao ido (japanese, 1945–2016)
title: yōshō (光映), “light reflection”
year: 1992
medium: original woodblock print (moku hanga)
edition: 33/200
signature: signed, titled, and dated in pencil by the artist; red artist’s seal lower right
frame: original japanese frame
frame dimensions: h 43 × w 56 × d 3 cm (h 16 ⅞ × w 22 × d 1 ⅛ in)
condition: very good
about the artist

masao ido was born in 1945 in what was then japanese-occupied manchuria; his family returned to japan after the war and settled in kyoto, a city whose temples, gardens, and seasonal light would become the enduring subject of his life’s work. He trained first under yoshida kōhō in the fundamentals of traditional japanese painting, then turned to woodblock printmaking under takeji asano, a leading figure in kyoto’s sōsaku-hanga community. Working in that tradition, ido carved and printed his own blocks rather than relying on a separate publisher-carver-printer workshop, giving him full creative control over every stage of production.

ido’s prints are prized for their nostalgic, idealized vision of japan — a country of quiet gardens, old villages, and bunraku theater increasingly rare in an industrialized age. His work has been compared to the shin-hanga artists championed by watanabe shōzaburō for its accessibility and craftsmanship, though his subject matter and technique are distinctly his own. His prints are held in museum and private collections both in japan and internationally, and remain steadily sought after in the secondary print market. Ido passed away in kyoto in 2016.

colors may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your monitor settings.

wear consistent with age and use.

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