Boy with Dog and Cat

A genre scene depicting a young child in the company of a dog and cat, a subject Sekino returned to multiple times as part of his extended series on childhood and domestic life in postwar Japan. Characteristic of his [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) practice, Sekino likely carved and printed this work entirely himself, exploiting the direct grain of the woodblock to create warm, textured surfaces. The composition centers on the tactile relationship between child and animals, rendered with the economical line and flat color areas typical of his figure work. Subtle [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations may appear in background passages, softening the scene without sentimentality.