Songe océanique 1992

This 1992 original lithograph titled Songe océanique (“Oceanic Dream”) was created by the Japanese printmaker Shoichi Hasegawa. The work is hand-signed by the artist, reflecting the tradition of limited fine-art printmaking in which the artist personally approves and signs each impression.

Hasegawa is internationally recognized for his innovative approach to printmaking. After moving from Japan to Paris in the 1960s, he developed a distinctive visual language combining abstraction, intricate line work, and subtle color harmonies. His works often evoke organic structures, cosmic landscapes, or dreamlike environments that seem suspended between nature and imagination.

In Songe océanique, delicate white lines form intricate geometric and organic shapes that appear to float across a luminous background of blues, reds, and earthy tones. The composition suggests maps, microscopic forms, or fragments of underwater life, creating an impression of movement and depth reminiscent of currents in the sea. These layered elements give the print an atmospheric quality that invites the viewer to explore the composition as if drifting through an imagined aquatic landscape.

Hasegawa’s printmaking practice frequently blends technical experimentation with poetic imagery. By combining complex etched textures with translucent color fields, he creates surfaces that appear both structured and fluid. The result is a visual experience that feels simultaneously analytical and dreamlike.

Throughout his career, Hasegawa has been celebrated for expanding the expressive possibilities of contemporary printmaking. His works are represented in numerous international collections and have been widely exhibited across Europe, Japan, and the United States.

Today, lithographs such as Songe océanique illustrate the richness of late twentieth-century printmaking, where technical mastery and artistic imagination merge to produce works that evoke both the natural world and the inner landscapes of memory and dreams.

Original Lithograph

Abstract

Hand-signed by the artist

Good condition, slight creases