Yagourouh Et Mio. Yap, Ouest Carolines 1938

Paul Jacoulet made this print, called "Yagourouh Et Mio. Yap, Ouest Carolines," at an unknown date. You know, when I look at this print, I see the love and care that went into the making. It feels very tender. And the pink background, with the ochre skin tones of the figures, is lovely. There’s something about the process, the way the colours are laid down, that makes the piece feel like a collaboration. Jacoulet is obviously in conversation with traditional Japanese woodblock printing but bringing his own perspective. He’s thinking about colour as a feeling. The green of the skirt is not just green, it’s a texture, a density, an atmosphere. It’s a beautiful contrast with the pink. And the marks are so sure, so confident. It’s like each one is a little poem. It reminds me a little bit of Hiroshi Yoshida who did lots of landscape prints at around the same time. There's a real interest in making art that is both timeless, and yet also deeply rooted in the details of the everyday. It is a conversation between artists that spans across time and space.