Hasegawa Sadanobu III (1881-1963) was a Japanese woodblock print artist who worked in the shin-hanga style during the 20th century. He was the third generation of a family of publishers, and he inherited their business which specialized in traditional Japanese prints.
Sadanobu III began his career as a printmaker around 1905, creating landscape and genre prints that were often inspired by the work of his grandfather, Hasegawa Sadanobu I, who was also a prominent printmaker. Sadanobu III later became known for his bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), which were highly sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts. He worked closely with carvers and printers to create prints that showcased the delicate beauty of his subjects, often featuring intricate details in their clothing and accessories.
Sadanobu III's work is characterized by a refined and elegant style that blended traditional Japanese techniques with modern Western influences. He was known for his use of bold colors and strong outlines, which gave his prints a distinctive graphic quality. His prints were widely popular in Japan and also gained international recognition, particularly in the United States.
Today, Sadanobu III's prints are highly collectible and are held in the collections of numerous museums and private collectors around the world. His contribution to the shin-hanga movement, which aimed to revive traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques and create new works of art that appealed to a modern audience, has made him an important figure in the history of Japanese printmaking.
