Senpan Maekawa

• Name — Senpan Maekawa • Occupation — woodblock printer • Born — 5 October 1888 • Birthplace — Kyoto, Japan • Died — 17 November 1960 • Place of death — Shinjuku, Japan

Born in Kyoto, his given name was Ishida Shigezaburō but from 1905 he went by Maekawa Senpan. He studied at the Kansai Fine Art Academy. In 1911 he moved to Tokyo and became famous as a caricaturist, working for the newspapers Yomiuri Shimbun, Kokumin shinbun, and the satirical magazine Tokyo pakku.

• Illustration — Hot Spring Bathhouse, 1949 Senpan Maekawa's most famous series of prints is the Hanga yokusen fu ("Hot Spring Notes") produced from 1941 to 1959. The series depicts a variety of onsen ("hot springs") from around Japan and was published in five volumes of twenty prints each. Helen Merritt remarks that while the subjects are depicted enjoying one their favorite pastimes of spa-going, due to Maekawa's somber colors, "the feeling is not joyous." Oliver Statler stated that the series contains "some of his pleasantest prints", and lauded Maekawa's "connoisseur's selection from the country's hundreds of hot spring resorts." The first series, Woodblock Prints, Hot Spring Notes (版画 浴泉譜 Hanga yokusen fu), was published in 1941 by Shimo Tarō. Maekawa fell ill before the series was due so Sekino Jun'ichirō carved some of the colour blocks in his style. The edition size was 150. More Woodblock Prints, Hot Spring Notes (続版画 浴泉譜 Zoku hanga yokusen fu), was self-published in 1944 probably due to wartime shortages. Only 40 copies were made. The next three volumes were published in 1952, 1956, and 1959 by Nihon Aishokai, the name taken by Shimo Tarō's company upon his move to Okayama prefecture.

Maekawa's work was entered in the painting events of the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics. He depicted rugby in the first and the long jump in the second.

• Illustration — Subway from 100 Views of New Tokyo, published 1928–1932 • Illustration — Gotanda Station from 100 Views of New Tokyo, published 1928–32 • Illustration — Fukagawa Lumberyards from 100 Views of New Tokyo, published 1928–32 • Illustration — Kyoto Flower Vendor, 1951 • Illustration — Akita Dancer, 1955

Senpan Maekawa is recorded as illustrator, printmaker, painter, wood engraver and graphic artist.