Boy and Villagers captures the communal rural life that Sekino often documented in his sosaku-hanga prints. Each impression was carved and printed entirely by his hand. Typical auction results place this work between $250-$700, reflecting its appealing subject and the artist's meticulous printmaking.
A wider composition than Sekino's typical one-on-one figure studies, this print places a child among a cluster of villagers, suggesting a festival, market, or communal gathering in rural Japan. The boy's position within the group — whether integrated or marginal — gives the scene its narrative tension, Sekino interested as always in the individual's relationship to the social world around them.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Boy and Villagers was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎).
Boy and Villagers uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Boy and Villagers depicts children and daily life.
