About the artist
Masaya Watabe is a mid-20th century woodblock print artist known for his vibrant landscapes. Born in Yamagata prefecture in 1931, he attended the Central Art Institute from between 1952 to 1956. Watabe worked in the spirit of the sosaku hanga or “creative print” movement through his self-carved, self-printed designs. He exhibited his prints with the Free Artists Association (Jiyu Bijutsuka Kyokai) between 1952 and 1958, depicting the changing seasons and flora of the mountains.