Kawanishi Hide (1894 - 1965)

Kawanishi Hide was born in Kobe, where he lived all his life. Inspired by Yamamoto Kanae's work, he started his artistic career in the early twenties. In the 30s he was "one of the boys", the group of artists who formed the core of the Sõsaku Hanga movement. His work is characterized, and instantly recognizable, by his use of strong colours and the absence of black key-block lines. Most of his work is inspired by his birthplace, Kobe, and he made various series depicting the city's architecture and its inhabitants. He was a prolific artist, producing more than 1000 designs. At the end of his life he was generally recognized as one of the most important Sõsaku Hanga artists.