The Example

This mokuhanga woodcut centers on an animal figure cast in the role of model or cautionary instance, the title suggesting a lesson offered — whether earnestly or ironically — for observation. Farkas's fables frequently hold their moral at an angle, allowing the animal protagonist to embody human virtues or failures without resolving into simple allegory. The carved woodblock lines define the figure against a field of water-based pigment, with layered applications building depth through the absorbency of the washi ground. Bokashi gradation may distinguish sky from earth or isolate the central figure within a quiet expanse. Handset letterpress text is incorporated directly into the printed composition, the weight and spacing of the type balanced against the carved image to form a single cohesive visual statement. The work exemplifies Farkas's synthesis of Japanese mokuhanga technique with an American literary tradition of animal fable.