Water, Chôjun c. 1825

Totoya Hokkei created this woodblock print titled "Water, Chôjun" around 1810-1830. Notice the figure struggling against the water. The ropes binding him evoke vulnerability, a theme deeply rooted in the human condition. Consider how binding motifs recur throughout history. We see it in the restraint of Laocoön, caught in the coils of serpents. It transcends continents, echoing the suffering and helplessness. Hokkei’s figure, like Laocoön, embodies a raw, exposed nerve of the human psyche—a state of entrapment. It reminds us of our own vulnerabilities, the invisible chains that bind us emotionally, and the battles we fight within the currents of life. These struggles are not new; they are the echoes of humanity's collective experiences, continually re-emerging in art.