Hatsuyama Shigeru 初山滋 (1897-1973)
Primarily known as an illustrator of children’s books, Hatsuyama was also a successful sosaku hanga artist.
The charm and whimsy apparent in so many of Hatsuyama’s prints clearly relate to his work as a children’s illustrator. His use of color, which is quite distinctive, may well relate to his early experiences in a dye shop. One color which is almost a hallmark of his prints is the blue called ai, a vegetable pigment made from the plant of the same name.
