About the artist
Okiie Hashimoto was a modern woodblock print artist active during the mid-20th century. His self-carved works often portray Japanese castles and rock gardens from unexpected vantage points. Born in the Tottori prefecture, Hashimoto studied yoga (Western-style oil painting) and art education at Tokyo School of Fine Arts. After graduation in 1924, he focused on his career as an arts educator more than artist himself. In 1932, he became curious about printmaking and took Unichi Hiratsuka's woodblock print course.In Hashimoto's formative years, he was mentored by Itaru Tanade and Shodo Hirata, but those three days of study under Unichi Hiratsuka left an enormous impact on Hashimoto. The two artists became friends and Hashimoto became active in printmaking circles such as Yoyogi-ha, First Thursday Society, and the Japan Print Association. In 1955, Hashimoto left his teaching career to focus on printmaking.