Dichtende tekeningen Possibly 1934 - 1935

Kamisaka Sekka made this drawing, Dichtende Tekeningen, sometime between 1866 and 1942. It looks like an open book, or maybe a portfolio, and there’s something so appealing about the stark simplicity and the way the materials take center stage. The cover is a muted gray with a subtle pattern, a real textural presence. Then you’ve got this vertical strip of paper, slightly aged, with these gestural black characters running down it. That brushwork is everything, isn’t it? You can see the artist’s hand so clearly, the way the ink bleeds and pools, the pressure and speed of each stroke. It feels so immediate. I love the way the gold thread has been used to hold the book together. It’s like a little wink, a touch of luxury that elevates the whole thing. This piece reminds me a little of the work of Cy Twombly, in how it balances graphic mark making with elegant presentation and composition. Ultimately, it’s about embracing the beauty of imperfection, of seeing the artist’s process laid bare.