Shinsui Itō

Shinsui Itō was a master of Japanese art during the Taishō and Shōwa periods. His real name was Itō Hajime. He was a central figure in the shin-hanga art movement. This movement helped revitalize traditional Japanese art styles. It arrived as photography began to cause a decline in older art forms. Itō specialized in Nihonga, which is a style of Japanese-style painting. He was also a talented ukiyo-e woodblock print artist.

Itō used a unique method to create his famous prints. He did not carve the blocks himself. Instead, he would first paint a "master painting" using watercolors. This master copy served as the guide for the entire process. Dedicated craftsmen then used this painting to create the actual woodblock prints. This collaborative system was a revolutionary part of the shin-hanga movement. It allowed for high levels of detail and color precision. He often worked with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō to produce these works.

His art is often categorized by specific genres. He was a specialist in bijin-ga, which means "pictures of beautiful women." These portraits are often considered his finest and most famous works. For example, he created the "Twelve Figures of New Beauties" between 1922 and 1923. He also painted many beautiful landscapes. One of his early landscape series was titled "Eight Views of Lake Biwa." This series was so impactful that it inspired the artist Kawase Hasui.

Itō's technical skill was visible in his careful use of color. In his print "Before the Mirror," he depicted a young woman in a red robe. Most artists at the time used harsh aniline red dyes. Itō chose a different path by using natural vegetable dyes instead. He achieved a rich crimson color by overprinting the robe several times. He also created a speckled gray texture for the background. This created a strong contrast with the woman's black hair and white skin.

Itō's early life was shaped by difficult circumstances in Tokyo. He was born in the Fukagawa district. After his father's business failed due to unwise investments, Itō had to leave school. He dropped out in the third grade of elementary school. He became a live-in apprentice at a printing shop to help his family. This experience introduced him to printing techniques and the arts. In 1911, he began an apprenticeship under the artist Kaburagi Kiyokata. Kaburagi gave him the pseudonym "Shinsui," which he used for his professional career.

During the Pacific War, Itō's work changed due to government requirements. He was drafted to produce propaganda art for the Japanese government. He traveled to the South Pacific and the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies. During these travels, he completed over 3,000 sketches of various islands. After the war ended, he moved from the ruins of Tokyo to Komoro. He later relocated to Kamakura in 1949. These transitions marked a new chapter in his life and artistic focus.

In his later years, Itō became a highly respected figure in Japanese society. In 1952, the Commission for the Protection of Cultural Properties gave him a major honor. They declared his woodblock designing talent to be an "intangible cultural property." This status was the equivalent of being a Living National Treasure. He joined the Japan Art Academy in 1958. In 1970, he received the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun.

Itō's legacy continues through his art and his influence on culture. His works, such as "Yubi" and "Fubuki," have even appeared on Japanese commemorative postage stamps. His paintings are now held in many famous museums worldwide. These include the British Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His daughter, Yukiji Asaoka, also became a well-known actress and singer. Itō died of cancer in 1972. He is buried at the Ryūsō-in temple in Tokyo.