After Bath 1932

This is After Bath by Hirano Hakuhō, made at an unknown date with woodblock print. Looking at this print, I think of the artist carefully carving each line, each plane, each mark. The pressure of the hand, the force of the blade, the way the wood resists, all play a part in the final image. It’s almost sculptural, the way the image is built up layer by layer. I wonder if Hakuhō considered how the ink would settle into the grain, how the paper would absorb the color. I like to imagine the artist stepping back, squinting, adjusting, maybe even muttering to themselves as the image emerges. I see this figure emerging from the ground with her head looking downward. It is not as simple as just seeing the work. There are many steps for the artist to undertake to make the work. There’s a conversation happening between the artist, the materials, and the image itself. We're all standing on the shoulders of giants, borrowing, riffing, and responding to what came before. Painting, like any art form, is an ongoing dialogue across time.