Witte feniks Possibly 1909

Kamisaka Sekka rendered this ‘White Phoenix’ using woodblock printing, a technique integral to the artistic identity of early 20th century Japan. Sekka, who resisted Westernization, drew inspiration from traditional Japanese styles. The phoenix, an emblem of rebirth and renewal, mirrors the transformations within Japanese society during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Sekka’s choice to depict the mythical bird in white is striking. In Japanese culture, white is associated with purity and divinity. This ethereal quality, combined with the phoenix, could symbolize a yearning for cultural and spiritual regeneration amidst rapid modernization. Sekka’s phoenix defies traditional representation. Rather than a fiery, aggressive bird, it embodies serenity, suggesting an alternative narrative of cultural identity rooted in peace and introspection. What might it mean to find power in gentleness?