Woodcutter 1909 - 1910

This is Kamisaka Sekka’s Woodcutter, made with woodblock print. Look at the flat blocks of color, the way the green hill pushes against the sky, the little bursts of red flowers. It’s all about balance and process, seeing how these different shapes fit together. There’s something about the woodcutter’s weary face. His eyes are droopy, like he is about to fall asleep. His skin is flat, but he is about to disappear beneath the weight of the wood he has to carry. The curve of his neck mirrors the curve of the hill he’s climbing, and the orange flowers seem to mock the burden he bears. There’s a stillness to this print, a quiet acceptance of the everyday. It reminds me a bit of Bonnard, with its intimate focus and careful orchestration of color and form, but Sekka brings his own unique sensibility to the mix. It’s a reminder that art is about the conversation, the ongoing dialogue between artists across time and cultures.