Itō Shinsui, heir to the tradition and poetic renovator of Shin-hanga

Born in Tokyo in 1898 , Itō Shinsui was one of the most influential artists of the Shin-hanga (新版画, "new prints") movement, which aimed to revitalize Japanese woodblock printing by incorporating modern elements while retaining traditional craft techniques.

Trained in Nihonga painting (modern Japanese painting) in the studio of the great Kaburagi Kiyokata , Itō showed from the very beginning an exceptional mastery of drawing and a remarkable aesthetic sensitivity. His style quickly attracted the attention of the famous publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō , a pioneer of Shin-hanga, who saw in him a promising talent .

Itō Shinsui, Devant le miroir, 1916, estampe, 44,2 x 29,3 cm 

In 1916 , at just 18 years old, Itō Shinsui published his first print with Watanabe: In Front of the Mirror . This work, depicting a young woman seen from behind combing her hair, marked the beginning of a prolific collaboration that would last for several decades. The print follows the bijin-ga tradition while bringing a subtle modernity in the treatment of light, composition and texture.

From 1922 onwards, portraits of women (bijin-ga) became the core of his work. Unlike artists like Kobayakawa Kiyoshi , who adopted modern figures such as moga (Westernized, transgressive women), Itō Shinsui remained faithful to an idealized and classical image of the Japanese woman : dressed in kimono, with carefully styled hair, depicted in a traditional interior or in contemplative poses.

His style is characterized by:

• Great clarity of composition , influenced by Nihonga.

• Technical refinement , particularly in the rendering of textile textures and hair.

• An intimate, almost meditative atmosphere , sometimes tinged with melancholy.

It is not simply a matter of illustrating beauty, but of revealing an inner elegance and a serenity that is uniquely Japanese , which echoes the aesthetic values of wabi-sabi .

Alongside his bijin-ga, Itō Shinsui developed a significant body of work on landscapes , starting in 1917 , with the series Eight Views of the Ōmi Region (around Lake Biwa). These works depart from the classic meisho-e (images of famous places) to favor a personal and sensitive approach to the landscape, often based on sketches made on location .

After the bombing of Tokyo in 1944, he took refuge in Komoro , in the middle of the countryside, which marked a stylistic turning point . His works became:

• More colorful , with bolder palettes.

• Brighter , with the use of gradients and atmospheric effects.

• Without human presence , reinforcing the intimacy between the artist and nature.

The series Ten Views of Shinano (信濃十景) embodies this evolution towards a new sensibility, close to Japanese impressionism .

Itō Shinsui, Début de printemps à Karuizawa de la série Dix vues de Shinano, 1948, estampe, 27,7 x 39 cm (https://www.cernuschi.paris.fr) 

Itō Shinsui's success was lasting. His works were widely distributed in Japan and abroad thanks to Watanabe Shōzaburō , who promoted Shin-hanga prints for the Western market. This recognition was crowned in 1952 , when the Japanese government awarded him the title of Living National Treasure (人間国宝, Ningen Kokuhō )—one of the highest distinctions bestowed upon an artist in Japan.

This title formalizes Itō Shinsui's place as guardian of the art of traditional printmaking , while recognizing his ability to renew its codes in a contemporary visual language .

Itō Shinsui was able to embody a rare form of balance: that of an artist deeply rooted in tradition , but open to stylistic exploration , both in his portraits and his landscapes. A key figure of Shin-hanga , he remains today a major reference in the history of 20th-century Japanese prints, as much for his technical rigor as for the visual poetry of his work.

Gauchet Art Asiatique offers its renowned expertise in the authentication, evaluation, and promotion of works by Itō Shinsui and artists of the Shin-hanga movement. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any personalized assistance.

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Bibliographic references

• Brown, Kendall H. Visions of Japan: Shin-hanga Prints from the Honolulu Museum of Art . Honolulu Museum of Art, 2009.

• Merritt, Helen, and Yamada, Nanako. Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900–1975 . University of Hawaii Press, 1995.

• Marks, Andreas. Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680–1900 . Tuttle Publishing, 2012.

• Meech, Julia. Shin-hanga: The New Print Movement of Japan . New York: Weatherhill, 1984.

• Lane, Richard. Images from the Floating World: The Japanese Print . Oxford University Press, 1978.