No. 42 1902

Otake Chikuha made this print, No. 42, using woodblocks. Look at how the colors are layered; you can almost feel the sequence of printing, the way one block kisses the paper and then another gently settles next to it. I’m drawn to the textures, the way the fans in the background create a subtle visual hum, and the flat planes of color that define the figure. It’s so graphic, yet there's a softness too. The way the red sash wraps around the figure feels so fluid against the geometric patterns. It’s this tension between the organic and the geometric that makes the work so compelling. This piece reminds me of Hiroshige, who also played with flatness and pattern in his prints. There is something very meditative in the use of these repeating shapes, a quietness which brings a feeling of peace and a recognition of how the smallest gesture can hold so much power.