Untitled (inuzuka-taisui)
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- wbp
Key value factors: Edition order (first Watanabe/Doi printing vs. posthumous reprints) is crucial. Snow scenes, night views, and bijin-ga typically command premiums. Publisher seals and artist signatures authenticate first editions.
Part of the untitled group in Inuzuka Taisui's catalog, this woodblock print extends the artist's documented production of [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) subjects. The [baren](/glossary/baren), the flat disc-shaped burnishing tool used by Japanese printers to transfer pigment from block to paper, played a decisive role in the final appearance of every impression. The printer's pressure, angle, and circular motion with the baren determined how deeply pigment penetrated the paper fibers and how evenly it spread across the printed area. For botanical prints requiring smooth color gradations and crisp petal outlines, baren technique was paramount. The skilled printer could achieve effects ranging from whisper-light transparent washes to dense, saturated color, all controlled through manual pressure on this deceptively simple tool.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Untitled (inuzuka-taisui) was created by Inuzuka Taisui (犬塚泰水).
Untitled (inuzuka-taisui) depicts birds & flowers and abstract.
