Masao Ido, “Tenryū-ji” (天竜寺), 1986 original Japanese woodblock print (moku hanga), Artist’s Proof (AP)

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Tenryū-ji in Cherry Blossom — Weeping Sakura at the Zen Temple Veranda, Artist’s Proof

Masao Ido (1945–2016), “Tenryū-ji” (天竜寺), 1986 Original Japanese woodblock print (moku hanga).

Artist’s Proof (AP)

H. 28 cm x W. 49 cm (H. 11 in x W. 19.3 in)

Signed in pencil, titled in Japanese (天竜寺 / Tenryū-ji) in the lower margin, stamped with the artist’s red seal

A cascade of weeping cherry blossoms spills across the veranda of Tenryū-ji, one of Kyoto’s great Zen temples, in this masterful woodblock print by Masao Ido, titled by the artist in the lower margin as 天竜寺 (Tenryū-ji). Working in the tradition of sōsaku-hanga — the “creative print” movement in which the artist carves and prints the work himself, rather than dividing the labor among separate craftsmen — Ido builds the composition through flat, confidently overlapping planes of color: the temple’s dark bracketed eaves and gilded ornament anchor the right side of the sheet, while soft pink and grey-white blossoms tumble down from above, framed by moss, raked gravel, and a stone-paved path. The interplay of architectural geometry against the organic sweep of the blossoms is a hallmark of Ido’s mature style.

This impression is an Artist’s Proof (AP), a designation meaning it falls outside the numbered edition — typically pulled by the artist for his own records, exhibition, or personal use, and generally produced in smaller numbers than the regular run. APs are prized by collectors for their scarcity and their closeness to the artist’s hand.

Ido trained in Kyoto under Yoshida Kōhō and Otsubo Shigechika, and by 1984 was himself teaching the next generation of printmakers, including Seiji Sano. His prints are held in the collections of MoMA, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Kyoto and Tokyo National Museums. Best known for his tranquil, luminous depictions of Kyoto’s temples, gardens, and seasonal landscapes, Ido remains one of the most sought-after names in contemporary Japanese woodblock printmaking.

About Tenryū-ji: Founded in 1339 in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district by the shogun Ashikaga Takauji, Tenryū-ji (“Temple of the Heavenly Dragon”) is the head temple of the Rinzai Zen Tenryū-ji school and one of Kyoto’s “Five Great Zen Temples.” Its garden, designed by the priest Musō Soseki, is one of the oldest in Japan to survive largely in its original form, and the temple complex is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its weeping cherry trees are a celebrated seasonal draw each spring — the very scene captured here.

Condition: Very good.

Colors may slightly vary due to photographic lighting sources or your monitor settings.

The print will be shipped insured oversea. Cost of transport to the US, Euro 145.

Wear consistent with age and use.

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