April 1905 Possibly 1905

This is "April 1905," a woodblock print by Goyo Hashiguchi. The print presents a contemplative scene, dominated by soft, muted colors and a study in compositional balance. The figure of an elder is captured in a moment of quiet reading. Note the subdued palette and the flattening of perspective, which serve to draw attention to the surface and pattern rather than depth. Consider how Hashiguchi uses the grid pattern in the background, it offers a structured counterpoint to the organic lines of the figure, inviting a semiotic reading. The textual elements above may function as signs, guiding the viewer toward a specific interpretation, or perhaps deflecting it, complicating the work's communicative potential. The print's formal choices not only shape its aesthetic appeal but also prompt questions about the role of tradition, modernity, and representation. It encourages us to view art as a site where established meanings are negotiated.