Ido Masao(井堂雅夫) Heisei Ukiyo-e – Kyoto One Hundred Views, Vol. 10 Imperial Palace Ten Views: “Momiji Bridge(紅葉橋), Sento Imperial Palace” Woodblock print / Publisher: Kaneido This striking woodblock print by Masao Ido depicts Momiji-bashi (“Maple Bridge”) in the Sento Imperial Palace, transformed by the brilliant colors of Kyoto’s autumn. The Sento Imperial Palace was originally established in the early Edo period as a residence for retired emperors. Its extensive garden is considered one of Kyoto’s refined examples of imperial landscape design, where ponds, bridges, tea pavilions, carefully positioned stones and trees create a sequence of changing views. Rather than revealing the entire garden at once, it invites the visitor to discover it gradually while walking. In this work, Ido chooses one of the garden’s most evocative autumn scenes: Momiji Bridge surrounded by Japanese maples at the height of their seasonal transformation. Above and around the bridge, maple branches spread across the composition in glowing shades of scarlet, vermilion, orange and warm red. Behind them remain patches of green, creating a layered landscape in which summer appears to be giving way to autumn before our eyes. This seasonal transition is particularly meaningful in Kyoto. For centuries, the appreciation of autumn leaves—momijigari, literally “maple viewing”—has been an important part of Japanese seasonal culture. Aristocrats, poets and later ordinary citizens traveled to gardens, temples and mountain landscapes specifically to admire the brief period when maple leaves reached their most intense colors. The traditional woodblock medium is especially effective here. Multiple layers of color create subtle variations within the foliage, while the strong dark outlines of trunks, bridge rails and stones give the composition its distinctive rhythm. The reds and oranges are vivid without overwhelming the softer greens, greys and pale blue of the surrounding landscape. There is also an underlying sense of impermanence in this scene. The maple leaves are beautiful precisely because their brilliance cannot last. Within a short time they will fall, leaving the bridge and garden transformed once again. This sensitivity to fleeting seasonal beauty is deeply connected with the Japanese aesthetic concept of ** mono no aware **—an appreciation of beauty heightened by the awareness that everything changes. ◆About Ido Masao(井堂雅夫)◆ Masao Ido is a leading contemporary woodblock artist based in Kyoto, and produced numerous woodblock prints from the Showa and Heisei eras. During Japan's postwar reconstruction period, he established his own unique style that combined a modern sense of composition and beautiful colors while inheriting the techniques of traditional ukiyo-e woodblock printing. After spending his childhood in Hiroshima, he moved to Kyoto and studied under woodblock artist Inao Uchida. Since the 1970s, he has established his own studio, the Kyoto Hanga-in, and has received high acclaim at solo exhibitions and exhibitions both in Japan and abroad. Awards and exhibitions (partial excerpt) 1976: First selected for the Nitten Exhibition 1980: Received the Nitten Special Award (unusual for a woodblock artist) 1987: Exhibited at the Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Exhibition 1990 and after: Solo exhibitions in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, etc. Received the Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Merit Award (posthumous award) His works are still held in many museums and public facilities in Japan, as well as in the collections of Japanese art lovers overseas. [Size of the artwork] Overall size 34.7×42.3cm Picture 24.5×34.9cm [Condition] Excellent condition. Please check the photos before bidding. Any taxes related to international shipping must be borne by the purchaser. ※Recently, there has been an increase in products being returned to Japan without paying customs duties and consumption tax upon receipt. It is the buyer's responsibility to pay customs duties and consumption tax, so please be sure to pay them. Tax rates vary by country, so please check in advance. Occasionally, customs or the delivery company in your country may contact you for customs clearance via phone or email. Kindly ensure you are available to respond. Failure to do so may result in the parcel being returned to me, incurring additional shipping fees for reshipment. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. I will pack the item securely, but there may be cases where the item is repackaged at customs or damaged upon arrival due to a mistake by the shipping company. If this happens, please contact me immediately. Please promptly send me a photo of the item when it arrives and a photo of the damage to the item. We will provide refunds depending on the situation.