Sosaku Hanga - The sosaku hanga or creative print movement in Japan began in the early part of the twentieth century. Unlike the traditional collaborative woodblock printing process utilizing a separate artist, carver, and printer along with a publisher, the sosaku hanga movement emphasized artist involvement in designing, carving, and printing the blocks himself, as the sole creator of his work. The movement gained popularity following World War II, earning international acclaim and expanding subject matter to include abstraction. Today most contemporary Japanese print artists design, carve, and print their woodblocks themselves, continuing the vibrant creative tradition established with ukiyo-e. Sosaku hanga prints encompass a wide range of subjects and expressive artistic styles, and are a great choice for a collector interested in modern and contemporary prints.

Comments - Intriguing depiction of the "Nagashi bina" (floating dolls) event held at Shimogamo Shrine during the Doll Festival. Dolls atop woven bamboo plates are set onto the Mitarashi River, to float down the river with the current. Safely tucked into their container, the dolls drift along the flowing water, a few cherry blossom petals falling over the scene. The doll at left has a gold mica cap and pants. The blue printed background is used as negative space for the lines of current. From a limited edition of 150, although the print is not numbered. A great, large format modern design..

Artist - Yokota Shichiro (1906 - 2000)

Image Size - 24 1/2" x 12 3/8"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Please note, due to the size, this print may be shipped rolled. Please see photos for details. Excellent overall.