Tree Scene 95B

Tree Scene 95B continues Namiki's numbered Tree Scene sequence, the 'B' suffix indicating an alternate colorway pulled from the same set of carved blocks as 95A. The image presents a tree — likely solitary, occasionally a small grove — against a softly graduated background produced through [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) printing, in which damp pigment is brushed across the block before each impression to create a seamless tonal wash. On handmade [washi](/glossary/washi), this technique yields the suspended, atmospheric quality characteristic of Namiki's mature work. The carved key block defines the tree's silhouette in fine line, while subsequent color blocks build the foliage, trunk, and ground in layered passes of water-based pigment. Working in the [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) tradition, Namiki designs, carves, and prints each block himself, rejecting the collaborative division of labor that defined the earlier [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) workshop system. The series-numbering approach — accumulating tree subjects over decades — situates his practice within the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) lineage of Japanese print art while pushing it toward a contemporary, near-abstract reduction.