(Above: Months & Years, a triptych by Hamanishi Katsunori, uses images of plants to symbolize the various stages of life.)
New exhibit at the White Lotus Gallery
Recent additions to the art collection at the White Lotus Gallery include old and new works by many of the great Asian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
One, especially — stands out for its rarity and deep meaning, and the announcement from the gallery about the show, Recent Acquisitions: Azechi to Yoshitoshi, describes it as celebrating “the interconnectedness of lives that jointly create an environment in which all can flourish.”
Even more than that, White Lotus says it is “honored to be the sole gallery in the world to present this print,” a mezzotint triptych by Hamanishi Katsunori, who in his 76th year is frequently referred to as the “master of mezzotint.”
Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Hamanishi (in Japan, the surname is written first) graduated from Tokai University and later studied at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mezzotint is an intaglio printmaking method that started in Europe in the 16th century, and is equated in difficulty and dexterity to the intricacy of Japanese woodblock carving, although instead of succeeding carvings of a wood block the mezzotint involves roughening a copper plate and then burnishing the surface to create light areas and scraping to achieve darker ones.
Because of its technique, the number of mezzotint prints is limited, generally to no more than 200 impressions, although Hamanishi’s editions generally range from as few as 30 to no more than 100 prints.
Hamanishi’s art is typified by his ability to move seamlessly between Western and Eastern art forms as well as evolving through the decades from realistic subjects to more abstract renditions of them.
Other artists represented in the White Lotus show include woodblock prints by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Azechi Umetaro.
(Left: Moon at Gojo Bridge, by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi)
(Right: 2 Mountain Men, by Azechi Umetaro)
Recent acquisitions: Azechi to Yoshitoshi
Where: White Lotus Gallery
When: Aug. 5 to Oct. 4, 2025
Where: 767 Willamette St., Eugene
Gallery Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Information: wlotus.com or 541-345-3276
