Shoichi Hasegawa was born 1929 in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Growing up in a country where traditional art forms such as calligraphy, ink painting, and woodblock printing were deeply rooted, Hasegawa developed an early appreciation for visual expression. He pursued formal training in Japanese painting (nihonga), mastering the delicate brushwork, compositional balance, and restrained colour palettes of the tradition. In the 1960s, he moved to Paris, where he immersed in the vibrant European art scene, he was exposed to modernist movements, abstract expression, and printmaking techniques that would profoundly influence his style.
Original etching, clubbed for 130 GBP at Auktionshaus Blank.
Fusion of Eastern Tradition and Western Abstraction
Hasegawa’s work is renowned for its synthesis of Japanese aesthetics and Western abstraction. His paintings and prints often feature layered washes of colour, gestural brushstrokes, and calligraphic marks that evoke both landscape and emotion. He embraced etching and aquatint as key mediums, using them to explore texture, transparency, and depth. His compositions frequently carry a sense of poetic ambiguity, they might suggest natural forms, flowing water, or shifting skies, yet they resist literal interpretation. This openness invites viewers to engage with the work on an intuitive, contemplative level.
International Recognition and Lasting Influence
Over his long career, Hasegawa has exhibited extensively in Japan, France, and internationally, earning a reputation as a master printmaker and painter. His works are held in major museum collections, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. By bridging the sensibilities of East and West, Hasegawa has created a distinctive artistic voice that resonates across cultures. Today, his art continues to inspire for its serenity, elegance, and the way it harmonises tradition with innovation.