Sui in fu [Sentimental Notes on Water].

No. 147 of 250 numbered copies. 11 ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) printed in colours by Henmi Takashi. 26.7 x 21.3 cm. 4to. loose as issued in the original printed pictorial wrappers with a woodcut of a lily pond printed in green, title in black. An extremely good, bright copy, spine of wrapper a little rubbed. Published by Shimo Taro, from the publishing house Aoi Shobo, nine artists collaborated on a series of albums by different artists. This is Henmi Takashi's contribution and relates to water, featuring poems by Takashi connected to water elements such as "Hashi" (bridge), "Kui" (Piers), "Ame" (Rain), "Yuki" (Snow), etc. The albums mark a departure from the norm in Japanese publishing demonstrating the unique approach of sosaku hanga artists, who self-publishing what were the Japanese equivalent of private press or artists' books. Henmi Takashi (1895-1944) was a noted Japanese print artist and poet. He became a member of the sosaku hanga artist association, Nihon Hanga Kyokai, exhibiting with fellow artists during the 1920s and 1930s. Like most sosaku hanga artists until around 1950, Henmi couldn't make a living as an artist and poet so worked as an accountant during the day. In 1934, he exhibited four woodcut prints in Paris at an exhibition organized by Hasegawa Kiyoshi and later contributed thirteen prints to the sosaku hanga series Shin Tokyo Hyakkei - One Hundred New Views of Tokyo, which brought him considerable fame. It is thought to be unlikely that the full 250 copies of this album were printed as the work was made during the war when resources for such elegant printing were very limited (see Lawrence Smith, Japanese Prints during the Allied Occupation, p.88). …