The Dreamy Realism of Kawase Hasui
…and his indelible legacy in anime, manga, and contemporary illustration
The art of Kawase Hasui (川瀬 巴水) may seem familiar, even to those who have never seen it before. The meticulous and prolific artist produced more than 600 prints, spreading an influence through twentieth-century media, graphic novels, and animation that remains evident today.
The distinctive graphic clarity of his work directly influenced the gorgeous backgrounds of anime films created by Studio Ghibli which, in turn, affected the of style of popular animation across Japan and beyond. A much-respected fellow artist, Shinsui Itō, described him as “a poet of the emotions of travel.” In 1956, he was named one of Japan’s Living National Treasures. Yet his very accessibility and popularity has meant he’s often been overlooked by western art critics.
Born in Tokyo in 1883, his delicate health meant he stayed with his aunt at the hot springs resort of Shiobora where he was enveloped by the Japanese landscape in varying seasons of snow, mist, and rain. His early training embraced the ideas of western art — especially those of the Impressionists, with their use of light, of mood, and preference for capturing the essence of a scene by painting landscapes outside in the elements. He received his formal training under the…
